Burkina Faso's partner town of Zogorè pays a visit to Mayor Christian Pakusch
The project to reopen schools in the partner town of Zogoré, Burkina Faso, coordinated by Salia Kirakoya, is progressing with careful planning and community engagement. The initiative aims to rebuild and improve educational facilities that were previously closed, with a focus on providing access to quality education for children in the area.
The project team has conducted assessments of the existing school infrastructure and identified key needs such as classroom renovations, provision of learning materials, and recruitment of qualified teachers. Strong collaboration with local community leaders and families has been established to ensure the project meets local expectations and gains broad support.
Efforts to secure funding through the Willich-Zogorée-Linselles e.V. partnership association and other donors are underway, with some contributions already secured to initiate initial phases of construction and resource procurement. The project is in its early stages, with the goal to reopen schools in the upcoming academic year, contingent upon successful completion of renovation work and teacher training programs.
Potential challenges include logistical issues related to material transport, ensuring sustainable maintenance of renovated facilities, and addressing any socio-political factors that might affect school operations. For the most precise and up-to-date details, direct communication with Salia Kirakoya or the Willich-Zogorée-Linselles e.V. association is recommended, as the project evolves based on funding and local conditions.
The project was born out of the need to address security issues with Islamists in the region, making it impossible to manage projects in the area. Kirakoya developed a new project for Willich's partner town Zogoré, which involves building accommodations for the current residents of the schools and establishing gardens at each school for agriculture education and food supply.
Before moving to Burkina Faso, Kirakoya spent initial days in Germany with the Carlhoff couple in Anrath before moving to Schiefbahn on the Gripshof. Kirakoya previously coordinated projects for the "Help for Yatenga" support association in northern Burkina Faso, led by Marlies Grips. The Mayor of Willich, Christian Pakusch, expressed a desire to support the partner town in its difficult situation.
Direct contact has become very difficult due to the current circumstances, but Kirakoya had a detailed conversation with Mayor Pakusch about the situation in the department and Burkina Faso. The main goal of the new project is to reopen schools in the Zogoré department, currently occupied by internally displaced people. The first step is to build accommodations for the current residents of the schools, allowing schools to be restored.
- Salia Kirakoya, motivated by sustainability and personal growth, is planning to redesign the lifestyles of residents in Zogoré's home-and-garden settings, establishing gardens at each school for agricultural education and food supply, thereby blending education-and-self-development with sustainable living.
- Realizing the importance of quality education in promoting personal growth, the project will not only focus on rebuilding and improving school infrastructure but also on providing learning materials and recruiting qualified teachers, ensuring a nurturing environment for children's development.
- In addition to addressing security concerns in the region and reopening schools, Kirakoya's project aims to create a lifestyle centered around learning, fostering continuous self-improvement and community development through education, even for adults, as evidenced by the temporary housing arrangements for internally displaced people.
