Fifth Edition of Career Camp Trains 65 Young Girls in Zorgho on Various Trades

Zorgho — A holiday camp designed to introduce young girls to various careers concluded its fifth edition on September 28, 2023, at the headquarters of the Cri de Coeur Association for Equity and Development (ACCED) in Zorgho.

According to a new release by Burkina Information Agency, the camp ran from September 19 to 28 and involved 65 girls aged 14 to 18 from various cities including Fada NGourma, Koupéla, Ouagadougou, and Zorgho in the Central Plateau region.

The girls participated in a 10-day program that provided hands-on training in trades such as dyeing, hairdressing, knitting, macramé, saponification, and beading. The theme for this year’s camp was “Female Entrepreneurship: What Contribution to the Consolidation of Peace in Burkina Faso?”

In addition to learning these trades, the girls were also educated on topics like peace and social cohesion, responsible sexuality for young people in business, and the creation and management of small production units. Cultural activities, provided by the theatrical troupe “Le baobab,” also enriched the camp experience.

Zalissa Congo, the spokesperson for the participating girls, expressed their collective gratitude towards ACCED and its partner organizations. Congo committed on behalf of her peers to apply the skills and knowledge acquired in their respective local communities. She also voiced hope that ACCED would not only continue these initiatives but also provide the girls with starter kits for their newly learned trades.

Dimbessida Augustin Kaboré, the Executive Director of ACCED, emphasized the importance of combining academic studies with professional training. Kaboré thanked all stakeholders involved in the camp, including the provincial management responsible for youth, and promised to finance the girls for the purchase of raw materials and the establishment of their production units.

Christine Congo/Sawadogo, representing the partner organizations, encouraged the girls to make practical use of the training they received. She thanked ACCED and other partners for their commitment to the camp’s success.

Colette Zongo, the representative of the provincial youth director of Ganzourgou, lauded the initiative and confirmed the readiness of technical youth services to support such developmental projects.