Meet Ramatoulaye, or Rama as she is called. Rama is a 32-year-old woman living in the Bowal village of the Kedougou region. Her daily routine consists of taking care of her family and household. However, life in her village is far from easy, with no water, electricity, or roads, making it challenging for the community. To earn some money, Rama makes and sells spices, but she dreams of improving her living conditions. Rama is married and has 6 children and is part of a 27-member family in the village.
When Rama was selected for a training program, she was scared because of a previous experience her village had endured where an organization promised work in the city, but failed to deliver. However, she also wanted to help her community, despite the lack of trust caused by the previous incident.
Some people in her village were not in favor of her leaving her home and husband for four months, but her husband supported her decision to attend the training. Rama feels grateful for attending the training because she learned a lot in different areas.
Now that she is a skilled solar engineer, she is excited to help her community. With access to electricity, the village will no longer be in darkness, and Rama hopes this will create new opportunities for growth and development.
She says, “Take a stand for yourself and work for the betterment of yourself. Life is not easy, so work and change your life.”
Despite the challenges Rama faced, she seized the opportunity to improve her skills and help her community. Her story highlights the importance of education and training in empowering individuals and communities, and how it can positively impact their lives.