France-Burkina Faso/near Vitré, the municipality of Torcé is in solidarity with Boala in Burkina Faso

Théophile Bandre, mayor of Boala in Burkina Faso, visited the association Burkina 35, whose president Marie-Annick Pairel lives in Torcé, near Vitré.

During his visit, Théophile Bandre was received by Yannick Fouet, mayor of Torcé (Ille-et-Vilaine), who for the past five years has been giving a grant to Burkina 35 for solidarity projects in Burkina Faso.

The objectives of the association, created in 2005, are to support the overall development of about ten villages in the communes of Boala (16 villages and 38,000 inhabitants) and Piboare (28 villages and 45,000 inhabitants).

A partnership exists between Burkina 35 and these two communes as well as with the local association AEPED (Association El-Hadji Saïdou Bikienga for the promotion of education and development).

Education and access to water

"It is a local solidarity association with which we sign an annual partnership renewed every year. Its objectives are also development, particularly for education and access to water. This association is fortunate to have a well-known president in Burkina Faso who also struggles a lot to find funds for development, but there is so much to do," says President Marie-Annick Pairel.

All the projects supported by Burkina 35 are based on the municipal development plan of Boala and Pibaoré and are defined in consultation with partners in order to meet the priority needs of the population.

The association's actions fall into five distinct areas. The priority action is access to water.

In too many villages, water points are still often lacking nearby and women have to walk several kilometres each day (sometimes 8 to 10 km) to fetch water from jerry cans. To date, Burkina 35 has drilled 26 new boreholes and rehabilitated 46 boreholes that had broken down.

In addition, the association finances the schooling of 100 godchildren (59 in primary and 41 in secondary school) as well as school supplies and textbooks, hygiene equipment, teaching materials and bicycles for secondary school students.

"The association's third action revolves around agriculture: It trains and supports farmers in the implementation of farming techniques to reclaim uncultivated drylands, called "glacis", and put them back into cultivation: half-moon and zaï cultivation techniques and the construction of manure pits to make natural compost. To date, 50 hectares have been rehabilitated."

Protection of the environment

Burkina 35 also provides financial support to women's groups that develop income-generating activities through the creation of microcredit funds in three villages.

"And finally, for the past two years, a new project to combat desertification, soil drainage and environmental protection has started with the planting of school groves, i.e. 200 trees planted per school in three schools in 2019 and four other schools will benefit from this in 2021.»

Each year, several members of the association go on a mission to the area for two to three weeks to assess the projects carried out during the year and define future projects.

In November 2020, five members were due to leave but the confinement prevented their departure. Only one of the members, who had left France a little earlier, was able to carry out a restricted mission focused on schooling and the school supplies that the godchildren receive each year.

An additional mission of four members is planned in the coming weeks if health and government measures allow.

Source: actu.fr