08.02.2010 - Tougma Téné Sankara is the coordinator of Enfants du Monde in Burkina Faso. A Burkinabé himself, he knows the hard reality of the Sahel. More than 60% of families live in poverty. “This partly explains the high rate of illiteracy. More than 50% of children do not go to school.”

Sankara regularly visits the schools funded by Enfants du Monde and has long discussions with the heads onsite, the teachers, parents and children. “That way, I am well informed and I can intervene quickly if there is a problem.”

The schools funded by Enfants du Monde listen to the families and adjust their functioning and teaching to local life. “In our schools intended for shepherd children for example, the students also learn how to raise sheep. Moreover, the timetable is adapted meaning that the children go to school in the morning and in the afternoon, they take the animals to graze,” Sanakara specifies.

Enfants du Monde pays particular attention to the schooling of girls who must often take care of household chores. Fighting against poverty requires first of all educating girls and women. In the schools funded by Enfants du Monde, at least 50% of students are girls, which is by far an exception to the rule in the country.

“It has been proven that an educated woman brings a two-fold advantage: first, she is capable of improving her life and second, she can offer better education and health to her children,” explains Sankara.