The festival at a glance

From a village tournament to a regional platform

BI-WÔRI was born from a simple observation: when the villages of Tanda meet on a football pitch, a whole region recognises itself. The festival turns that moment of collective pride into the starting point of a human development project for Gontougo.

Our story

It all began with a ball and twenty villages

The first edition of BI-WÔRI took the form of an inter-village football tournament held in Tanda. Twenty villages took part — an outcome that went far beyond sport: for the first time, neighbouring but often separated communities shared the same calendar, the same pitch and the same celebration.

That success revealed a deeper need: a regular space where the region’s young people could gather, learn and look ahead. This is what inspired the ambition to grow the tournament into a festival, and the festival into a platform.

20 villages — measured result, 1st edition

Mission

Bring people together today, create lasting change

To unite the youth and communities of Gontougo around an annual flagship event, and gradually turn it into a regional platform for human development.

01 — SPORT

Unite

Sport builds engagement and gives every village a reason to come, show up and compete respectfully.

02 — CULTURE

Celebrate

Songs, dances and local expression affirm a shared identity and pass memory between generations.

03 — ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Empower

Young people and women find training, role models and real economic opportunities at the festival.

04 — ENVIRONMENT

Protect

Caring for the living environment becomes a collective cause, led by those who live on and farm the land.

Our values

What guides every decision we make

A community event draws its legitimacy from the consistency between what it proclaims and what it practises. Our values are therefore also operating rules.

Unity

No village is bigger than another at the festival. The collective comes before rivalries.

Inclusion

Young people, women, children, elders: every generation has a space and a voice.

Transparency

We account for how resources are used and publish verifiable indicators.

Continuity

Each edition prepares the next: we are building a trajectory, not a one-off.

Trajectory

Growing step by step, under control

Our roadmap plans for gradual development over several editions. Each stage is only reached once the previous one is consolidated — the condition for credible growth.

Achieved

The founding tournament

A first edition focused on inter-village football, bringing 20 villages together in Tanda.

2026

A structured festival

Seven complementary activities around the tournament, formal governance and monitoring indicators.

Target

Department-wide reach

Broaden participation to surrounding villages and keep the youth network active all year.

Target

A regional platform

Make BI-WÔRI a reference event for human development across Gontougo.

Stages beyond 2026 are targets

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“We didn’t just want to organise a match. We wanted our villages to get into the habit of meeting, and for that habit to become a strength.”

Representative of the Douassoh Foundation

Draft quote — awaiting approval from the person concerned

The Festival

Programme

Get Involved

Partners