Photo 07 · DSCF6387-2Profile 07 · Kévé, Togo
Chairwoman · Scoops Fafali · Collective enterprise
Opportunity through cooperation
Marie Dzessou is the chairwoman of Scoops Fafali, a women’s collective in Keve, Togo. Together with the neighbouring GS Mokpokpo Keve-Gare collective, Marie and 17 other women have built a business producing palm oil for sale in local markets.
Physical and communal work
The process begins with palm nuts purchased locally and delivered by a three-wheeled motorbike truck. The nuts are spread out beneath the sun before being processed through a large machine to extract the oil. Further extraction takes place in large pots heated over open fires. The finished oil is collected in plastic containers and jerry cans, ready for market. It is demanding, physical work, with each woman contributing to the process.
For some of the women, family life is woven into the working day. Young children accompany their mothers, sometimes carried on their backs as the women go about their work. It is a reminder that earning a living and caring for a family are not always separate responsibilities, but often part of the same daily routine.
Greater security
Scoops Fafali has 12 members, while GS Mokpokpo Keve-Gare has six. Although they are separate collectives, the women work together, sharing the responsibilities of production and the profits from their sales. Both groups receive support from IADES, an organisation that favours collective enterprises over individual entrepreneurs. The thinking is that pooling resources, sharing ideas and supporting one another can create opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach. It also allows the benefits of a successful enterprise to reach more families.
As chairwoman, Marie helps lead an enterprise where cooperation is as important as the work itself. Each woman brings her own experience and ideas, contributing to a business that depends on their collective efforts.
Entrepreneurship together
For Marie and the other women, success is not measured by how large their business becomes, but by what it makes possible. Their efforts generate a more reliable income, greater independence and the ability to provide for their families.