GOURCY, BURKINA FASO — On Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the international NGO Educo unveiled a new initiative in Gourcy aimed at bolstering education for children impacted by the ongoing security crisis in Northern Burkina Faso. The launch of the project, named Strengthening Access to Resilient, Safe and Inclusive Education (READ), was presided over by Issouf Ouédraogo, the Governor of the Northern Region.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the Technical Secretariat for Education in Emergency Situations (ST-ESU) of the ministry responsible for education, the security situation has resulted in the closure of 844 schools, affecting 163,805 students in the Northern region. Educo’s READ project aims to address the educational needs of these children by enhancing access to and the quality of education through a comprehensive approach. Raphaël Noungou, the head of the READ project, outlined the project’s goals to improve educational access for girls, boys, and adolescents in the region, emphasizing the creation of educational infrastructure, scholarships, specific supplies and materials, training for educational stakeholders, awareness campaigns, food support, and organization of support courses.
The initiative also includes activities to promote protection and social cohesion within schools. Lucie Gounabou, speaking on behalf of Educo’s Country Director, urged all stakeholders to engage with the project to fulfill the organization’s mission of building a world where all children enjoy their rights and live in dignity. The project will directly benefit 14,980 children and adolescents, including 7,790 internally displaced persons, across 25 primary and post-primary schools in Ouahigouya, Gourcy, and Yako.
During the project’s unveiling, Governor Issouf Ouédraogo encouraged all partners, including the Tabital Lobal Association and the Network for Social Promotion (REPROSO), to work in coordination for the project’s success, highlighting its alignment with the state’s educational policy. The READ project, with a duration of 24 months, is supported financially by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) with 524,765,603 FCFA and co-financed by Educo with 27,619,240 FCFA. Educo, having worked in Burkina Faso for 20 years, continues its commitment to assisting children in vulnerable situations across 14 countries worldwide.