Program Background & History:
 Burkina Faso, a land-locked country in West Africa, ranks among the five poorest countries of the world according to World Bank publications. With 22 mutually unintelligible languages spoken, French has been the official language of public education and government services since colonial times, and following independence in 1960. An ethnic group of people in the Eastern part of the country, called the Gourmantché, numbering about 500,000 people, have benefited from Christian missionary ministries since the early 1940s. Today a growing Christian community exists among these people. Alain and Genevieve Swanson from Monticello, Minnesota, were part of this first wave of SIM1 missionary outreach in this region, serving for 40 years. Their vision, supported by those sending and supporting them from the US led to the establishment of an indigenous language Bible School beginning in 1945. There they taught and administered until this school was placed into the capable hands of trained Gourmantché leaders. The Swanson’s were also part of a small team of linguists who led in the translation of first the New and then the Old Testament into the Gourmantché language. In retirement, this couple completed an extensive Bible Commentary in the Gourmantché language, now distributed in hardcopy and CD format. Their son, Richard, spent the first 16 years of his life in Fada N’Gourma, and then returned with his wife, Ursina, as missionaries for a three-year period in the mid 1970s. Continued work within the country following this engagement permitted both to maintain close and regular contact with the Gourmantché and ministries there. Richard and Ursina Swanson were active in helping Gourmantché church Christian leaders-in-formation at the Nyinduuga Bible School to acquire skills needed to support themselves in their pastoral, evangelist, and church leadership ministries throughout the region – creating a beekeeping program that has existed now for more than 30 years, as well as training in animal traction (donkey and ox drawn weeders/plows) for improved crop production.
Following their last visit to Burkina Faso in the mid-1990, during a time when working in the neighboring country of Niger, Richard met with some of his lifelong and trusted friends and helped them to establish a local group that they wished to call “Groupe Yentemma” – literally meaning “God has given (to us)”. The group is made up of four men, (left to right in the first picture) led by Sugilija Taηkoano, Saidu Kiemkudigu, Yumanli Ouoba, treasurer, and Øuambo Yonli. Sugilija and Yumanli worked closely with Richard, an anthropologist, during his years in researching Gourmantché cultural traditions, religion, language, flora, fauna, and agricultural systems. Øuambo, trained by Richard in tropical beekeeping, became the leader of the beekeeping program at the Fada N’Gourma Bible School for more than 20 years, bringing in significant funding for the school. Saidu, initially a language assistant, security guard, and hunting ‘buddy’, became a Christian during early years of friendship. These four men, through Groupe Yentemma, have received small funding. Funds have served at times for the care and support of these men’s ministries and needs, as well as provided targeted ‘critical aid’ to local Christians they have identified in urgent need for care (medications, school fees for their children, food). Communications today – in Gourmantché - with this group continues via email through Internet cafés that now exist in Fada N’Gourma.
 Gourmantché children learning to read/write
“We don’t have sufficient literature (in Gourmantché) within the Church. Those who are now able to read and write in Gourmantché are great in number, through the efforts of the churches themselves – 63% of our church members now are literate. Secular programs also teach Gourmantché literacy (children and adult literacy) through the public schools and elsewhere. We have the Scriptures in Gourmantché, but almost nothing else exists for people to read and increase their knowledge and understanding. Would you be able to help us raise funds that could be used for two purposes?
 Bidigu children in a makeshift ‘classroom’
(2)Translate short brochures from English and French on how to raise chickens, goats and cattle, better farming techniques, gardening, composting, etc.
We have also been involved ourselves in providing alphabetization literacy classes out of our local churches for community members. If a person does not know how to read, there is little they can do to improve their way of life. It helps people a great deal to be able to read for themselves the Bible, and also helps in the strengthening of the local church.” (Communication from Sugulija Taηkoano, December 1, 2006).
Sharing Hope understands the importance of Christian literature, and other materials, which can help in building a better and healthier life. As Americans, we take a great deal for granted, without understanding that economically disadvantaged peoples living in countries like Burkina have little to build with. Yet appropriate literature is available in French and English that can have great impact (when translated), as well as provide a source to build literacy skills upon as well.
How Can You Help?
Prayer for wisdom as these four men, and their families, seek to be used by God for service in their communities
Financial support that can be used towards either of the two requested ministries mentioned above.
Goal
 Untaanideni children showing their Gurma writing skills
Our goal is to seek to raise at least $5,000 each year for the next four years to encourage Groupe Yentemma in their ministries.
Sharing Hope will help them to set up appropriate financial management and reporting systems so that they and we can be accountable for how funds are spent. They have also committed, through us, to report on how the money is spent, and of goals accomplished and impacts realized.
Individuals interested in volunteering, providing financial support or seeking additional information, contact Sharing Hope International now. Consider organizing a group of friends or a church group to join us in standing behind this activity.
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Burkina Faso 
