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Burkina Faso is facing what relief organisations call a triple crisis: COVID-19, widespread flooding and armed violence. These have led to increased malnutrition, especially among children, millions being displaced from their homes, and limited healthcare and nutrition resources in a time when they are needed the most.
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Thank you for praying for children and families in Burkina Faso who have been impacted by COVID-19—and the local staff and churches who continue to serve them in difficult circumstances.
Say hello to baby Grace from Burkina Faso! Born in the middle of a lockdown, this cutie’s delivery story is quite the tale! With a national curfew from 7pm to 5am in place, there was a big chance that Grace’s mum, Celine, would not be able to get to a hospital to deliver her baby. Read more open_in_new
The situation
Statistics released indicate a very significant impact of the rain and flooding with over 71,000 peopled affected throughout 13 regions in Burkina Faso since April. They are expecting continued impact through October and anticipate the number of affected people to increase to over 100,000.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: unknown Number of Compassion assisted children affected: unknown
New information
The impact assessment is still in progress.
Prayer
Please pray for the safety of children, families, local church partners and staff in Burkina Faso.
The situation
On 9 September a state of emergency was declared due to the heavy rains and flooding throughout Burkina Faso. There are extensive damages to homes, bridges, and roads. The heavy rains started in August and are expected to last through September.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: unknown Number of Compassion assisted children affected: unknown
New information
The national staff and local church partners are assessing impact to children and their families.
Prayer
Please pray for the safety of children, families, local church partners and staff in Burkina Faso.
Please note: Due to the current pandemic, most child development centres in Burkina Faso are temporarily closed. Our local church partners continue to meet the urgent needs of the children through home-based care.
Compassion’s program is contextualised across countries and communities, as well as age groups.
Compassion assisted children in Burkina Faso typically attend program activities at their local child development centre on Thursdays and Saturdays. Here is an example of what a typical program day looks like for children in Burkina Faso.
9:00am - A time of prayer, devotion and breakfast. Breakfast usually consists of milk, bread and porridge.
9:30am - Spiritual lessons where children sing songs and learn Bible stories.
10:30am - Break time where children can play in a safe environment and develop friendships.
11:00am - Social-emotional lessons from conflict resolution to developing healthy self-esteem and a godly character. Children who often come from challenging home environments are taught social and personal skills.
12:00pm - Lunch and social time. Children are usually provided lunch which consists of rice, beans, sagabo (a local food made using millet or corn flour) and spaghetti. Additional nutritional support such as rice, maize and oil is provided for families in extreme need, such as those affected by HIV.
1:00pm - Health lessons where children are taught practical health and hygiene tips. Example topics include how to prevent malaria and HIV transmission.
2:00pm - Letter writing and career planning. Older children work with local staff to identify their strengths and interests, and set goals for their future.
In addition to Compassion’s curriculum, from the age of 12, students receive vocational training in areas like mechanics, hairdressing, sewing, soap making, gardening and animal breeding. Parents are offered income generation activities and training on topics such as hygiene, malaria prevention, reproductive health and nutrition.
of people live below the poverty line
of people lack access to improved sanitation
mothers die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 births
As millions of Burkinabes struggle to meet their daily needs, the ever-present threats of food and water scarcity across the Sahel region make life more tenuous.
Poor health is a significant barrier to Burkina Faso’s development. Approximately 27 per cent of children in the country suffer from moderate or severe growth stunting caused by chronic malnutrition during early childhood. The country currently holds the highest infant mortality rate of all of countries in which Compassion works, with approximately 53 infants dying for every 1000 born.
The overwhelming majority of people make their living from subsistence agriculture, which is vulnerable to drought, floods, and in recent times, locust plagues. Burkina Faso has a very young population: 46 per cent is under 14 and two-thirds younger than 30 years old. Many young people are frustrated by the lack of opportunity for education and reliable work. Almost one-third of primary school-aged students aren’t enrolled; instead, they often work the land in an attempt to boost their family’s income.
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Maton Baro wakes at 5am every Friday and walks to the local markets in her neighbourhood in sprawling Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital city. As the sun rises, she marches between the stalls, greeting the farmers and haggling good-naturedly over prices. She’s on a weekly mission to buy all the fresh ingredients she needs to feed hundreds of children at the nearby River of Love Child Development Centre (BF0450)... Read more
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