Empowering women through tourism development
A new sound can be heard ringing out across the Sangha River in the rainforests of northern Congo—the clinking of cups and cutlery at Saida Nola’s new restaurant. ‘Maman Saida’ as she is affectionately known in Bomassa village started her restaurant, ‘La Main de Dieu’, on the banks of the river in January 2019. At the time, it was the first real place that people could find a meal in the village outside of their homes.
‘Maman’ Saida Nola, proud owner of one of the only restaurants in Bomassa, a remote village at the entrance of Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo ©N.Radford/WCS
“I noticed that the fishermen who travel up and down the river would stop for the night in the village, but they would struggle to find something to eat. I saw an opportunity and decided to innovate,” she remembers.
Two years later, people are queuing out the door to get a seat in the cozy 12-seat restaurant.
“Often, I’m so busy that as soon as one customer finishes his food, another one is right there waiting to take his seat!”
Many of Saida’s customers are the staff of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) who work at the headquarters of Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park a short walk outside of the village. As part of a long-term vision to protect wildlife and wild places by engaging with communities, WCS collaborated with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for almost three decades. Today, WCS works to protect the unique biodiversity of the park through a Public-Private Partnership with the Congolese Government.
At over one million acres, the park is one of the largest areas of intact lowland tropical rainforest left in the Congo Basin. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012, it is a remarkable refuge for endangered rainforest species, such as lowland gorillas and forest elephants, in a region plagued by poaching and habitat loss.
“I used to bake bread, but it was hard to grow my business,” Saida recounts. “I started the restaurant slowly. At first, I just offered grilled chicken from a barbecue, with outdoor seating”.
In mid-2020, as a member of the Association of Women United for Biodiversity in Bomassa, she was approached by the park with a new capacity-building opportunity.
WCS and USAID had just embarked on a collaboration to help the park develop its tourism potential. Under this partnership, WCS and USAID a two-week hospitality training at a restaurant and hotel in a nearby provincial town. This training improved local people’s capacity to capitalize on the future expansion of the tourism sector.
“The training opened my eyes to new possibilities. I thought, why can’t I do this in Bomassa? It gave me the confidence to expand and improve my restaurant,” says Saida.
The Women’s Association played a key role in supporting her, especially by providing access to a savings scheme that released enough money to construct a proper restaurant for her customers. Her neighbors pitched in to help her with tables, chairs, and cutlery; and, in August 2020, the refurbished restaurant reopened to acclaim.
“The restaurant has become more than just somewhere to eat. People come here from all across the village to sit and talk. It’s become a real meeting place for the community,” Saida said.
In a culture where women are often constrained by traditional gender roles, she is a role model for a better future. She is even inspiring some of her customers to try foods that they have not eaten before.
“This restaurant has given me a name. I now have status in the community,” she said. “Many of my young male customers are eating vegetables for the first time—and enjoying it!”
With the help of the Association of Women United for Biodiversity in Bomassa, Maman Saïda has been able to open a 12 seats restaurant, and she plans to expand ©N.Radford/WCS
The Association of Women United for Biodiversity in Bomassa was created in 2017 by a group of local women with the support of WCS and USAID. It has now become the driving force of success for local women.
“It has created a real ‘can-do’ attitude in the village,” explained Parfait Bakabana, the Park’s Head of Community Development. “The structure of the association enables women to provide a lot of support to each other, sharing ideas, projects, and even their finances through a Likelemba savings group.”
‘Likelemba’ is a Lingala word that describes a communal savings group concept. Each group contains 3 to 50 members who make monthly deposits, and members take turns making withdrawals. In a culture where many manage their finances day-to-day, it provides essential injections of capital at critical moments in people’s lives.
Now, Saida’s restaurant is providing delicious meals for dozens of satisfied clients each day. But it has also brought her family a long-sought sense of financial security. She and her husband, a park employee, now feel much more secure about the futures of their eight children, half of whom are still students.
“The restaurant is busy all the time, and money is coming in regularly. This helps us manage our finances throughout the month.”
Saida’s story is one of empowerment and sustainable change that was created by long-term partnerships between USAID, WCS, the Congolese Government, the park, and local communities. And her journey is far from over since the park is working to attract more and more tourists over the next few years. Up to 15 percent of the park’s budget may soon come from tourism, with a 30-fold increase in tourism revenue going to local communities; and a community-run campsite and two high-end lodges will soon be built at park entrance.
“I would love to sign a contract to provide catering services for the park or even the new tourism lodge they are planning to build at Mombongo,” said Saida.
Maman Saida—a proud restaurateur and successful entrepreneur—plans to keep expanding her restaurant. She wants to invest in a refrigerator so that she can offer a wider range of dishes and increase the number of tables; and her big ambition includes hiring a staff member to help her with her thriving business.