OUAHIGOUYA, YATENGA — On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, the global NGO for development cooperation and humanitarian action, EDUCO, alongside its partners, marked the conclusion of the FHRAOC III project aimed at supporting communities affected by the ongoing security crisis in Northern Burkina Faso. The closing workshop was held at the NGO’s headquarters in Ouahigouya, under the chairmanship of Mr. Kouilga Albert Zongo, Secretary General of the Northern Region, representing the regional governor.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the FHRAOC III project, which spanned 12 months, focused on enhancing access to education, protection, and WASH (water, hygiene, and sanitation) services, alongside improving the management of acute malnutrition across displaced and host communities in Yatenga and Loroum provinces. The project’s multi-sectoral approach facilitated significant improvements in the communes of Séguénéga, Ouahigouya, Kossouka, and Titao.

During the project’s implementation, 40 radio-based listening clubs were established across the four communes, aiding educational access through radio broadcasts. Additionally, 1,334 vulnerable households received radios and USB keys to support home learning. The project also addressed water storage, hygiene, and menstrual health by distributing relevant supplies to 1,334 households and providing special kits to 600 vulnerable girls.

Protection efforts included the creation of six child-friendly spaces and support for 400 children in precarious conditions. Legal aid was also a focus, with 2,000 birth certificates and 1,000 national identity cards issued to help formalize the identities of individuals in host and displaced communities. Furthermore, 50 survivors of gender-based violence received necessary care.

The project, funded by the Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa (FHRAOC) with a budget of 420,700,000 CFA francs, was executed in collaboration with local associations AMMIE, ATL, and ASG, alongside state technical services.

Mr. Zongo praised EDUCO and its partners for their diligent execution of the project, which surpassed its goals with a completion rate of 105.5%. He emphasized the regional administration’s ongoing support for EDUCO’s efforts, which significantly contribute to alleviating the hardships faced by those impacted by the security and humanitarian challenges in the region.