The Zumunci Oil Factory

CARE International
Jul 10, 2017 · 3 min read

By Elizabeth Adéwalé, CARE Niger

The Zumunci oil factory in Tounga Makoki in Niger is like no other. On first glance, this hive of activity in the corner of a tree lined compound looks like a social club. Women in groups, some sitting, some kneeling, are chatting and laughing. Children play and some nap in the afternoon heat.

The factory was opened six months ago, as part of a Village Savings and Loans (VSL) initiative launched by CARE Niger in 1998. Working with village women, CARE established one savings group that quickly grew to a federation of VSL associations in this small village about 500 kilometers from the capital Niamey.

Oil extraction is the Zumunci factory’s business. Using peanuts sourced in neighboring areas, the factory produces oil for local sale. Staffed by members of the Zumunci VSL (“Zumunci” means ‘caring’ in the local Hausa language), the women are divided into groups. Younger women are responsible for de-shelling the nuts; older women seated under trees separate the better nuts for grilling. Once grilled, the nuts are pounded to extract the oil. The remainder — a thick paste — is rolled into small balls and deep fried to make kouli-kouli (cakes) for sale in the village.

The Zumunci peanut oil factory is a win for everyone in the village. The VSL members enjoy the financial gains, and the villagers no longer have to travel far for their peanut oil and kouli-kouli.

Using equipment provided by CARE, women work together to begin the de-shelling process by cracking open the peanut shells.

Photo: CARE/Elizabeth Adewale

Women then use traditional methods to remove the nuts from their shells.

The nuts are then grilled over a fire. “With the equipment that we received from CARE, we were able to produce more oil,” said Rakia Djadi, a member of the Zumunci VSL.

The grilled peanuts are spread out to cool. The remaining shells are removed by using a calabash, a traditional household utensil. The pale nuts are then used for pounding.

Oil is extracted by pounding.

Freshly extracted peanut oil.

Moulding the paste into balls to make “kouli kouli.”

Fried koui kouli, ready for sale. “Now our people do not have to go far before getting oil and kouli-kouli,” says Rakia Djadi, a member of the Zumunci VSL.

CARE Niger was established in 1974 in response to famine and has worked on several food security projects since then. The program currently focuses on health and nutrition, natural resources management, education, local governance, conflict resolution, women’s empowerment, microfinance, disaster risk reduction, and emergency preparedness and response. Find out more about our work in Niger here.

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