»The eye of the emerald – female leadership qualities«

On the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day, our cultural director, Laurentine Marie Bayala, is organizing the photography project »L’œil d’Emeraude, révéler le leadership à travers l’Objectif Féminin« to pay tribute to the women living in the surrounding communities of the Opéra Village Africa. A jury of men and boys was chosen to select the ten women to be portrayed and they in turn were encouraged to choose women – whether mothers, wives or sisters – who are close to them and who are the heroines of their everyday lives.
The initiative aims to promote the appreciation and recognition of women and gender equality within society. By working together and supporting each other in their respective communities, men and women can build a more just and inclusive society. The respective portraits of the women were again created by different photographers in order to promote solidarity between the women and to give various female artists a presence within the framework of an exhibition.

Vernissage: March 7 at Operndorf Afrika

Kaboré Suzanne
nominated by Compaoré Isidore (Sebba)
photographed by Ilboudo Roukieta

»I chose Suzanne Kaboré because she is a devoted wife.«

Isidore Compaoré, Suzanne Kaboré’s brother-in-law

Every three days, Suzanne sells vegetables at the Sebba market. The mother of four also brews sorghum beer. When the market coincides with the preparation of the dolo (sorghum beer), she gets up early in the morning to do her business, then goes back home to keep preparing the sorghum beer. Suzanne helps her husband raise pigs. During the rainy season, she grows cereals for her family.

Sana Awa
nominated by Adama Tapsoba (Laongo)
photographed by Ouédraogo Evelyne

»She’s an outstanding woman, a tireless worker and twice the mother of twins.«

Adama Tapsoba

Awa has seven children, including two sets of twins. She brings néré seeds from Ouagadougou to Laongo, which she sells to women. She often allows her customers to receive seeds on credit to make soumbala a local seasoning. Her name is Sana Awa and she has been chosen as a role model by Tapsoba Adama from the village of Laongo. Awa has made many achievements. She grows seeds on one hectare. She also cultivates her field during the rainy season.

Tapsoba Nopoko
nominated by Jean Léonard Roamba (Tamiyargo)
photograped by Compaoré Justine

»She knew how to give love to the children of the village. She is the mother of us all.«

Jean Leonard Roamba

Over 70, Nopoko had no children of her own. But she has made other people’s offspring her children. Because of her generosity and benevolence, neighbors’ children like to be by her side and help her with her daily chores. She raised at least 5 children, who now live in Ziniaré.

Théodora de Kiri-Tenga
nominated by Kiswendsida Norbert Nikièma
photograped by Compaoré Justine

She is a retired teacher of history and geography. In 2004, she was appointed to the Ministry for the Promotion of Women as Director of Legal Affairs, with a focus on violence against women. On the strength of this experience, she saw education as a powerful weapon for eradicating women’s ignorance and economic dependence, often at the root of violence against women. So Theodora founded a school called »Jeanne d’Arc«, to make schooling accessible to girls. She believes this is making a valuable change in the community. Since the school’s inception, the percentage of girls has always exceeded 60%. Théodora de Kiri-Tenga is also a writer, author of novels, short stories and fairy tales.

Tégawendé Donalde Conseibo
nominated by the president of the special delegation
photographed by Ouédraogo Evelyne

Tégawendé Donalde Conseibo started out in the building trade, working for her brother. Later, she opened a store selling wholesale and semi-wholesale articles and consumables, as well as cereals. In 2006, she joined her husband in Ziniaré and began cooking alongside him. She is now an entrepreneur in the food service and agri-food processing field. Over the years, she has strengthened her skills to excel in her field. She has taken training courses in service quality, hygiene and food preservation techniques. Thanks to this experience, Donalde has won several awards. Winner of the prize at the Semaine Nationale de la Culture, discipline »Drink« in 2018, she also won first prize in the category of best taxpayer under the Réel Simplifiée d’Imposition (RSI) regime, 2020 Edition.

Wagnoubou Lingri
nominated by Adama Conseibo (Pousgziga)
photograped by Compaoré Justine

»This woman helped me to raise livestock.«

Adama Conseibo

Wagnoubou is very involved in her village’s social and educational life. as President of the association of mothers educators, she is committed to children’s education. Adama Conseibo also chose Wagnoubou because she is a great support to her husband who also has a disability.

Oumoulala Konaté
nominated by a student at the Lycée Bassy
photographed by Ilboudo Roukieta

Oumoulala Konaté teaches French at Lycée Bassy. As head teacher, she listens to her students to ensure that the teaching staff are well supported. The eldest in her family, she has supported her brothers and sisters since the death of their mother. She is a woman who cares about her children’s education and success.

Salimata Boly
nominated by Ismaël Diallo
photographed by Simporé Fati

Salimata Boly passed the competitive examination for school and vocational guidance counsellors in 2007. After training at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Koudougou, she was assigned to the CIOSPB (Centre National de l’Information, de l’Orientation Scolaire et Professionnelle et des Bourses) and later the DREPS/Centre. After passing the competitive examination for Administrateurs des Lycées et Collèges, she was appointed Principal of the Lycée Konbeolé de Ziniaré in October 2023. She has fond memories of her first job as a School and Vocational Guidance Counsellor. It was a job that gave her some very enriching experiences. It’s a source of great satisfaction and pride for her when she sees the students she has helped in their choice of study succeed brilliantly in their school or academic careers.

Antoinette Bonkoungou
nominated by Commander Tandjeri David
photographed by Roukieta Ilboudo

Antoinette is a security agent with the municipal police. After being recruited by the Ziniaré town council, she stayed on with her husband, a farmer. She is a great support to him. Together, they bring up their children in harmony.

Edwige Compaoré
nominated by Valentin Zoma
photographed by Wagnoubou Lingri

»Edwige is a dedicated teacher. Even outside school hours, she devotes her time to looking after her pupils. That’s why I have chosen her.«

Valentin Zoma

After training at ENEP in Fada, Edwige took up her first post at Gorom Centre school. This first professional experience was particularly challenging because of the language barrier. But Edwige, as a good teacher, was able to find strategies to make herself understood by her learners. Today, as a teacher at the Village Opera elementary school, she has achieved a 100% success rate in the CEP exam and the entry exam to 6th grade in 2023. And she’s proud of it.

Bougouma Latifatou
nominated by Compaoré Seydou (Tamissi)
photographed by Simporé Fati

»I admire her ability to follow the constraints of being the wife of a chief.«

Compaoré Seydou

Bougouma Latifatou lives in Tamissi. She is one of the wives of the village’s traditional chief. To be the wife of a chief requires adhering to and following the rules of traditional chieftaincy. And despite her young age, Latifatou is well acquainted with the customs.