In Mauritania, beyond its solutions to coastal erosion, WACA funds social projects that help empower communities. In Mauritania, the project funded US$16,000 for the creation of a sardine canning unit for the Mauritanian Women's Business Council (CMFA). This has enabled this women's group to produce quality canned goods, to compete in international markets, and of course, to increase their income. 

The CMFA is an association that advises, supports, monitors and supervises women who work in various fields such as agriculture, market gardening, livestock, fishing, cosmetics, etc. Created in 2017, it trains women on specific topics, helps them design projects and submit them to donors for funding. Additionally, its audience of 20,000 followers on Facebook allows CMFA to amplify its messages and gather advice and ideas from its members.
Besides providing assistance and advice, the CMFA is also involved in social projects. It is within this framework that it benefited in 2021 from the financing of the WACA project for the establishment of a sardine canning unit.

The first tranche of funding from the WACA project, amounting to 130,000 MRU (US$3700), allowed for the purchase of an automatic seaming machine and the ordering of 11,500 cans. The other two instalments to come will allow the acquisition of equipment and the start-up of the unit.
Located in Cité Plage, the unit will employ about 20 women who will be trained to manage the plant. The processing capacity of the raw material, fresh sardines, will be 3,000 cans of sardines per day. These sardines will be canned in hermetically sealed cans and processed to ensure sterility at the time of commercialization.

The CMFA hopes to market its products first in Mauritania and then to expand into the sub-regional markets.
The CMFA is optimistic about the success of its project, which could inspire other women in a country where there is no shortage of opportunities to create small and medium-sized projects. This WACA Mauritania social project deserves special attention and encouragement to ensure its sustainability.

Author: Birome Gueye, UGP WACA