On August 20, 2013, the U.S. Embassy organized a voting party to help support a group of young Burkinabè competing in the GIST program – Global Innovation through Science and Technology — to win the prize worth 70,000 U.S. dollars and international recognition, which will allow them to further develop Faso Soap. The Burkinabè entrepreneurs and scientists, Mocktar Dembele and Gerard Niyondikom have been working to develop a soap they believe will help in the fight against malaria. GIST is a competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of State that aimed to offer entrepreneurs in the fields of science and technology the opportunity to present their innovative ideas through the identification and support for new start-ups with high potential throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Turkey.
Partnering with Burkina Faso’s national television RTB, the event featured a video on the groups journey to develop Faso Soap and explained to the general public how to vote their home team to victory on the internet based competition.
