Burkina/ Children in emergency situations: A caravan to raise awareness of the role of children in Bam province

The Association pour le développement communautaire et la promotion des droits de l'enfant (ADC/PDE), in collaboration with the NGO Terre des hommes Suisse, organized an awareness-raising caravan for children in emergency situations, on Monday November 20, 2023, in Kongoussi, in the province of Bam, Centre-nord region. "The theme of the caravan was "Capacity-building for children and young people affected by the security crisis: what strategy for better involvement of young people, parents and community child protection units?

The province of Bam, home to a large number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), hosted the first leg of this awareness-raising caravan on the afternoon of Monday November 20, 2023. Despite the sun and dust, the public came out in force to show their support for the protection of children in emergency situations.

The Association pour le développement communautaire et la promotion des droits de l'enfant (ADC/PDE) and its partner, the NGO Terre des hommes Suisse, which has made the promotion of children's rights its hobbyhorse, enlisted the services of two professional troupes to provide the entertainment. For more than 30 minutes, the population followed with great interest a play entitled "Lamoussa".

Performed by the "L'aube" theater troupe, the play tells the story of a girl who falls victim to the terrorist attacks. Having lost both her parents, Lamoussa ends up staying with her paternal uncle. She thought she had found refuge, but is mistreated by her aunt. But her troubles are not over. Her uncle, who is supposed to protect her, puts a stop to her schooling. But Lamoussa has a dream: to go to school like all children her age. Her salvation is their neighbor, thanks to whom her dream will become a reality.

"We presented this situation to tell people that they need to put their hands in their pockets to look after the children who are victims of terrorist attacks, because they need attention. It's a burden on society if nothing is done. So we need to help each other find a solution. That's our message," said Moussa Sourgou, a comedian known as "DG Pousbila". As far as he was concerned, the public's reaction exceeded their expectations. "We're delighted," said Mr. Sourgou. Traditional music icon and Unicef ambassador for children's education Habibou Sawadogo and his dancers kept the audience on their toes. The joy was palpable. Isn't it said that music softens morals?

According to ADC/PDE President Mahomet Ouédraogo, the aim of this awareness-raising caravan is to reach a large number of provinces where the association is active. "Preparation was not easy, given the short timeframe. But thanks to the commitment of the authorities, technical services and players in the field, it was possible to hold the event," he says with satisfaction. For this, Mr. Ouédraogo expressed his gratitude to these players, while affirming that the participants had learned the message well.

"In this difficult context, we have to take into account the situation of the child, who is very vulnerable and needs support and accompaniment to be able to grow up. There are structures in place. If there are difficulties, we can refer the children who have problems to these structures, NGOs and technical services to be able to provide a set of answers to the children's concerns", he recalled.

According to Amidou Ouédraogo, national coordinator of the Terre des hommes Suisse NGO in Burkina Faso, this initiative is part of the "Joining Forces" project implemented since July 2022 by a coalition of international NGOs involved in child protection. These include Child Fund Alliance, Children Believe Burkina Faso, Educo, Plan International Burkina Faso, Save The Children Burkina Faso, SOS Villages d'enfants au Burkina Faso, Terre des hommes, Weword and World Vision Burkina Faso.

With a budget of 1,383,000 euros, the project is scheduled to run for 24 months, with the possibility of extension. It is mainly financed by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After the province of Bam, the next destinations for this awareness-raising caravan, which runs until November 24, 2023, are Namentenga and Sanmatenga. The objective remains the same: to promote the protection of children in emergency situations.

Source: lefaso.net/