May heralds the rainy season in Burkina Faso. But for many families, it marks the start of the hungry season.

Those living in the semi-arid north of the country learn how to cope with the punishing heat, scant rainfall and increasingly infertile land. It takes extreme resourcefulness.

(Photo: Christian Aid/Andrew Testa)

Local savings groups offer a vital solution. Across Africa, these groups provide a safe place for members (usually 20-25 women) to save money, get small loans, and receive advice. In communities with few resources, they are a lifeline.

Nathalie Yelkouni knows the challenges well. When she was able to borrow equipment, she made and sold dolo (locally brewed beer) to support her family in the dry season and dreaded the empty stomachs as May approached.

Without cash for medicines, illness was treated with herbal tea, and unpaid school fees meant her children missed school.

But through group training, Nathalie learned how to cultivate cowpeas and care for livestock. She got loans to purchase a few goats and pigs and to expand her dolo business. Her farm and her home life have blossomed.

In rural villages, such small victories are crucial steps to a new life for a woman. Undaunted by the harsh conditions of poverty and extreme weather, Nathalie and thousands of other women are transforming lives in rural Burkina Faso and across Africa.