This is the last blog for this trip, next week we will be back in The Netherlands.
We have had some very heavy rains where we are 3 days in a row. This is rather unusual and it disturbs the farmers’ harvest a lot. This week was also the end of the trip for Didier and Marie Paule from the association A Petits Pas.
Sunset at the LAP
Eugenie has been busy with making bed sheets for the LAP (ASAP Private Agricultural Secondary School), finishing the mosquito nets needed for the windows of the new dormitories at the LAP and caring for Colette. Yesterday Colette had a puncture in the liver to take out liquid from a cyst caused by amoeba. They took out 200 cc!!!
I also forgot to mention that Eugenie is organizing a charity dinner next Sunday 30 November in Huizen. I know it is a late notice for the Dutch readers of this blog, but you might still be available? You can find more information on this on the ASAP website (www.asap-foundation.org/diner).
Political situation
So far the leaders of Burkina seem to work together. It will be interesting to see the importance of the army in the new government and the way the civil society can control the political people.
The country is quiet and it is like a heavy weight has been taken off the people.
Visit of Nefrelaye, Kofila and Koukouesso
A Petits Pas supports projects in 4 villages. This week we visited 3 of them.
The nursery school of Nefrelaye has 56 children of 5 years old. The children will stay one year in this school before going to primary school. The nursery school is not funded by the government. Cost per child per year is around €80. Parents pay €5.
A Petits Pas has also provided funds for uniforms to the 306 children of the primary school. Below is a picture of one of the class.
Didier playing with the children of Nefrelaye
In Kofila the group of people attending the meeting was rather small for this big village. Their apathy was also very strong. Parents do not seem to be motivated to send their kids to the nursery school. Last year there were only 48 students for a potential of 90.
I asked why. The first answer was “are you sure that there are that many kids of 5 years in the village?”. I answered that the survey we made in April 2014 with information coming from them gave 101 children for 2014. Their answer was “are you sure that the survey was well done?” I answered that these are their numbers and not something I have guessed. Then somebody said “are you sure that all those kids are alive”? I could not hold my anger and I lost it. Instead of trying to understand what the problem is, they are looking at excuses. There is nothing worse than ignorant people who think they know better.
Didier receiving a ram in Kofila
In Kouekouesso, no problem with attendance in the nursery school and in the meeting.
One of the 2 classes of the nursery school. This year there is not enough funds for uniforms due to a dispute with the previous managers of the schools.
We try to give them some T-shirts we had got from A Petits Pas. Unfortunately they are much too big. We have asked that the t-shirts are given to the mothers.
In Kouekouesso, A Petits Pas has also funded the uniforms for over 500 children. Above the 3 older groups and below the younger ones.
Arrival of the container
The young crew who loaded the container in NL | Container being downloaded in Bobo Dioulasso |
In September a container was shipped to Burkina with mainly school tables and chairs. One might ask why don’t you have them make on location? Good question. Those goods are given to us. The costs in NL is mainly the sweat to move the goods and load them in the container. The costs to send the container per school table is less than the costs of the table made here. In addition the quality of the tables from The Netherlands will allow us to use them for many years, tables made here will need constant repairs. In order to complete the pictures, we have been blessed to have 50% of the transport costs discounted by the transport company and the other 50% funded by a friendly foundation.
Tables and chairs in at our office
I forgot to mention above that Eugenie in the last 3 days managed to sort out all the second hand clothes which were in the container. And there was a lot!!
LAP visit on Saturday
I went to the LAP to help fixing the mosquito nets made by Eugenie on the windows of the dormitories.
There was a strong help from the boys. They had also fun using the glue pistol.
Dry fish
Making the flour in a sieve
While at the LAP the girls were gathered around Solange and Kadi (their caretakers). They were making fish flour out of dry fish and at the same time there was a discussion going on. It was related t
o boys.
Pictures along the way
Traditional healer advertisement in a village
What is she thinking about?
Loving mother
Birds
One pretty blue bird trying to impress the other one. Is he using his tail like a monkey? Is his tail caught in the branch?
A Callao which wants to know what is his best profile?
Proverb of the week:
A cutting word is worse than a bowstring, a cut may heal, but the cut of the tongue does not.
Un mot blessant est pire que la corde d’un arc, une coupure peut guérir, mais la blessure de la langue non.
If you refuse to be straight when you are green, you will not be straight when you are dry.
Si vous refusez d’être droit lorsque vous êtes vert, vous ne serez pas droit lorsque vous serez sec.
Hope you have enjoyed the blogs. We will return to Burkina beginning of February 2015.
Take care,
Herve