Le Prêt, la poule et l’œuf

LOUIS MARCORELLES AWARD-MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Buusaa, a small Ethiopian company dealing in micro-finance, was set up by former political activists on their release from prison. One of them, Adam, manages to convince the peasants from his village to borrow a little money. One woman buys an American hen: the hen lays eggs that will become chickens that will turn into hens. A rat eats the eggs. The woman decides to poison the rat but the American hen also eats the poison and dies. Yet, the loan is still to be repaid… Faced with such problems, the enthusiasm of Buusaa’s representatives come up against their customers’ doubts and lively discussions ensue. Problems of survival mean that ideological principles need rethinking.