In Burkina Faso, professional integration and entrepreneurship are essential levers for women's empowerment. Sirima Raicha is a committed coach who accompanies women and young people on a daily basis as they build their professional future. Through her experience, she helps reveal potential and create sustainable opportunities.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
My name is Sirima Raicha and I've been a coach in professional integration and the creation of very small businesses for 3 years with Planète Enfants & Développement in Burkina Faso. I am deeply committed to helping young people and women find employment and empowerment. I like to feel useful, to be a good listener and above all to help everyone reveal their potential. Before joining the association, I worked on similar projects with a social dimension. I've developed solid experience in follow-up, advice and personalized support. Today, I'm putting it to good use for the women we've trained as childminders as part of the PREJEF.
What exactly is your role?
I guide women and men in the construction of their professional project, from the clarification of their objectives to their full integration. I help them to overcome obstacles, develop their skills and seize opportunities, whether in employment or entrepreneurship.
What's your daily routine like?
My days are very dynamic and field-oriented. I alternate between individual coaching, group workshops, monitoring people in training or in work, and exchanges with our partners.
I also help childminders in their job search: writing CVs, covering letters, simulated interviews... It's a job that requires a lot of listening, analysis and adaptation to each person.
Any success stories that stand out for you?
I'm thinking of one woman, Beatrice, who really doubted her abilities.
Over the course of the support she received, she gained self-confidence and launched her own business, creating a home-based childcare center. She started out with just 5 children... Today, she has set up two Maisons d'Assistantes Maternelles (childminders' homes) catering for over 120 children. She has become a mentor and in turn coaches other women. She's a true leader. Seeing this transformation was a real eye-opener. That's exactly what makes my job so meaningful.
What makes you most proud?
What makes me proud is not just seeing people find a job or start a business. It's seeing them evolve, stand up for themselves, believe in themselves and become examples for other women.
What concrete impact do you see your work having?
The impact can be seen on several levels: greater self-confidence, better organization, a clearer vision of their professional project... and often, concrete integration into the world of work or entrepreneurship.
What are your guiding values?
Listening, benevolence, empathy, respect, but also high standards. For me, support means both support and empowerment.
