Mission in Burkina Faso – July 2022

From July 16 to July 30, 2022, our project leader went to Burkina Faso.

The objectives of the project are to structure and perpetuate the association SOS Fille Mère, to give access to education to children of school age and to promote the empowerment and reintegration of young girls into society.

The mission was structured around meetings with partners (including SOS Fille Mère), financial points, visits to the reception center, meetings with the site manager and local authorities, working meetings to consider the implementation of new projects and meetings with various actors
who can facilitate the implementation of HAMAP-Humanitaire projects in Burkina Faso.

On site, our project leader met with the beneficiaries of the SOS Fille Mère association, which currently hosts 13 young mothers with several children (about 30). The main activities of the project in partnership with this association are the following: construction of the reception center,
schooling of children of age, vocational training for young mothers, awareness sessions for young mothers (family planning, literacy) and the opening of a solidarity store for the sale of products made by the young girls. In addition, HAMAP-Humanitaire has financed a borehole in the reception center in order to allow its autonomy in terms of access to water. The association SOS Fille Mère intends to sensitize the inhabitants to the problems encountered by young mothers who are stigmatized. Training and awareness sessions will be carried out by associations and trainers paid by the project (local family planning, sewing teacher).

Our project leader also met with members of ACTEA, an information platform for water stakeholders in Burkina that works primarily
with development actors.

In addition, the association les Mains unies du Sahel (AMUS) presented a new project for access to water and sanitation for which they would like to collaborate with HAMAP-Humanitarian. It is a project to improve access to water and sanitation in the communes of Dargo and Zéguédeguin. Indeed, only 10% of the inhabitants have access to toilets (12% in rural areas at the national level). Thus, 220 latrines would be financed. If 220 latrines would be financed for the most vulnerable households, the sensitizations carried out in the 32 villages of the communes would encourage the wealthier people to finance their latrine. They will consist in talking about contamination, risks and barriers related to open defecation as well as sensitizing the inhabitants to the maintenance and use of latrines.

HAMAP-Humanitaire intervenes in rural areas to respond to the many needs in isolated areas, which are sometimes difficult to access, so the part of the mission in Ouéléni was cancelled. However, the bonds of trust between HAMAP and its partners make it possible to continue working despite the difficulties.