Anatole – Spare parts seller in Burkina Faso
My greatest source of pride is having been able to turn the opportunities offered by Yikri into a real success story. I now help my family by paying for my sister's schooling and studies. My next goal is to buy trucks and start a freight transport business.
My name is Anatole Ouedraogo, I am 35 years old, married, and the father of four children. I am the only boy in a family of nine children. I never had the chance to go to school; my father wasn’t interested in education. When I was seven, he sent me to work with a friend who was a mechanic, where I learned to recognize car parts.
I quickly became interested in selling spare parts, but due to a lack of funds, I had to take on several odd jobs, which allowed me to save 500,000 CFA francs (€762). I was able to buy a motorcycle and start my first spare parts business.
A decisive boost with Yikri
In 2016, a neighbor told me about a microfinance program offering unsecured loans: Yikri. At 26, I obtained my first loan of 80,000 CFA francs (€122), which was a real springboard for my business. I started with small parts such as nuts and bolts, and over the years I was able to expand my stock and offer more complex parts such as braking systems, air devices, and triggers.
Essential training
Yikri didn’t just support me financially. I also took training courses that were invaluable to me, as I didn’t have the opportunity to go to school. I learned how to set my prices, maximize my earnings, and better manage my business. Today, I travel to buy my parts where they are cheapest and increase my margins. I also enrolled three of my children in Yikri’s health insurance plan.
A family success story and an ambitious future
My greatest source of pride is having been able to turn the opportunities offered by Yikri into a real success story. I now help my family by paying for my sister’s schooling and studies. My next goal is to buy trucks and start a freight transport business, a sector that will perfectly complement my current activity.
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