Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — The national gendarmerie conducted an awareness session on Monday at the headquarters of the Burkinabè Association for the Promotion of the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABPAM), targeting blind and visually impaired students. The event focused on educating attendees about the harmful effects of drug use, road safety, and sexuality in schools.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the director of communications and public relations of the national gendarmerie, this initiative is part of the gendarmerie’s broader socio-educational activities. It aims to demonstrate the institution’s solidarity with young students living with disabilities. Christophe Oulé, president of the National Union of Burkinabè Associations for the Promotion of the Blind and Visually Impaired, expressed immense pride and gratitude for the gendarmerie’s involvement, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and equal treatment. The students also expressed their joy and appreciation for the interaction with the gendarmerie, feeling acknowledged and respected as equal members of the community. The session began with a national colors raising ceremony where the students displayed their resilience by singing the national anthem, and the police distributed canes as part of their support.