IRFAK OASIS
About the hosting institution
IRFAK OASIS is located in Kleni Village next to Orodara City, which is 400km south-west of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. It stands for Institute / Research / Formation / Action / Kleni / Organization / Academic / Savoirs / Indigenes / Science, and it is a center for cultivation, research, action, training, and environmental education. The center is presided by Professor Boureima Ouedraogo, a sociologist and professor at the University of Ouagadougou. It provides the local people opportunities to learn how to protect their environment, and encourages them to practice their acquired knowledge.
Professor Ouedraogo, staff of the center, and project members of “between art and science”
It was the monsoon season in Burkina Faso in August thus the center was surrounded by lush greens and many mango trees.
Professor Ouedraogo, the founder and president of the center as well as a sociologist, tries cultivating diverse vegetation.
Library in the center
It holds a wide range of books in French, Dyula, and Mossi.
Remaining blackboard from a lecture, illustrating how computers work.
Couscous cooked in a special pot
The staff cooked delicious food at every meal. “To”- dough made from corn flour, rice, fried plantain and potato were daily menus. Meals were one of the highlights in our stay.
Project member holding a leaf at the dining table
It had a similar flavor to Quercus Dentata (Japanese Emperor Oak) and it was steamed with couscous.
(Photo by Mariko Tomomasa)
