Manga: The Regional Union of Weavers of the Center-South conducted awareness-raising activities on Thursday on the use of 100% cotton thread from Burkina Faso and the Faso danfani loincloth, AIB noted on site. The awareness campaign, carried out in collaboration with the Filature du Sahel (FILSAH), involved an animation and information caravan through the streets of Manga and a meeting for exchanges with weavers and the town's population.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the objective of this series of activities is "to further inform the population and weaving stakeholders about the issues related to local consumption, particularly the use of 100% Burkinabe thread produced by FILSHA to make Faso danfani," said the president of the Regional Union of Weavers of the Centre-South, Christine Tiemtor©. She continued by noting that the awareness campaign also aims to remind everyone of the call by the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traor©, to promote local consumption, a springboard towards economic sovereignty.
Throughout the city and in front of the weavers and the population, Ms. Tiemtor© and her team shared their message that the use of local thread and the Faso danfani pagne made in Burkina has multiple advantages for individuals, for the economy, and for the country. "Cotton farmers make money, the factories that use their cotton create jobs and develop the national economy, and the weavers and their employees also earn a living," she explained.
In addition, according to her, the Faso danfani loincloth made from local yarn is soft to the touch and does not cause discomfort to the wearer regardless of the external temperature. "The loincloth made with imported yarn, on the other hand, produces a lot of heat when you go out in the sun and during the making of the loincloth with this yarn, it releases fibers and certain substances that can even make you sick," stressed Christine Tiemtor©.
Pauline Ouoba, director of a training center for the production of Faso danfani loincloths in Manga, also agreed, stressing that in addition to threatening the local economy, imported thread is very often mixed with nylon and produces poor quality loincloths. The decentralized services in charge of Culture and Commerce in the Centre-South, the municipal police and structures promoting crafts supported the weavers' initiative.
For the president of the provincial associations of artisans and groups of artisans of Zoundw©ogo, Hermann Zoungrana, the awareness campaign they have undertaken is "a good action to raise awareness of the dangers of using imported thread and loincloth to the detriment of local production." He explained that the South-Central region, particularly, which borders Ghana, has been experiencing a massive importation of threads and loincloths since 2022, which were sold in local markets. Fortunately, this trend is now on the decline thanks to "the dynamics of local consumption driven by the highest authorities and awareness-raising actions such as those conducted by the South-Central Women Weavers' Union," Herman Zoungrana said.
For consumers who have difficulty determining the right thread made in Burkina from the fake, imported one, Christine Tiemtor© urged them to seek professional help in their choice. Also, regarding the weavers who use the availability of imported thread in several colors as a pretext to justify its use, she urged them to keep their heads in the sand by choosing quality and emphasizing patriotism and the general interest, promoted through local consumption. Moreover, she emphasized that the umbrella organization of weavers in the Center-South plans to advocate with support partners for more dyeing training for local weavers. This is so that, for the production of Faso danfani loincloths, 100% Burkinabe cotton thread is the only one used everywhere, in all circumstances and for the good of all, she confided.