The Shea Business Boot Camp

The S.B.B.C. was held at Tubaniso, Peace Corps' training nest located 30 minutes outside of Bamako. A total of twenty-two volunteers came to give it their all. It was strange getting back into a full day work routine, but a welcome change. We were divided into groups of 5 to 6 volunteers, each group was given a case study of a village(s) that were at different levels of shea production. We assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of our case study and began drafting a business plan. Through out the week guest speakers came to discuss; business plans, cost benefit analysis, shea politics in Mali, financial management, outreach, monitoring and evaluation, publicity, and small business marketing. Also we had several field trips into town to attend a mini shea fair with local shea producers displaying their products, a production facility, and the I.E.R. Mali's testing facility for agricultural products and understand the testing process for shea butter. At the end of the week we presented our business plans and performed a flash mob to Shakira's cover of Waka Waka (this is for Africa).

we all handle stress differently

The Boot Camp was organized very well and was quite successful. I think everyone is looking forward to the end of November. We will be bringing work counterparts to the training site for another boot camp specifically designed for our host-country work counterparts. Women from different regions of Mali coming together to discuss shea!