Why international development cooperation Noumoutènè Diarra

Noumoutènè talks about how development cooperation has changed the whole face of her village. The women of the village attended training courses and took part in exchange visits. They received an electric machine for cutting vegetables, a solar-powered dehydrator and support for storing their produce. That lent a massive boost to production – and to the women’s incomes. And so they are escaping the cycle of despair and fighting back against hunger.

Noumoutènè tells how people used to have straw roofs on their huts. Today, the huts are protected by tin roofs. With the extra money they are earning, the women are able to feed their own families. That gives them a freedom they didn’t have before and also control over their own lives. Now that families have an additional source of income, terrorists are less likely to be able to attract new recruits.

Projects like these also benefit Germany. They boost agriculture and make a direct contribution to food security. At the same time they help prevent terrorism. Because when people in this region join terrorist groups, it is not usually out of conviction. Instead, it is often simply the only source of income available.