In order to enable a basic education for every child and adolescent, Burkina Faso needs, above all, many more schools. The Institute builds schools in the disadvantaged rural areas of Yatenga in northern Burkina Faso. The local communities contribute manpower to the construction, provide the teachers and bear the running cost once the school is in operation.
So far, the Institute has built elementary schools in Goko, Keleguerima, and Namissiguima. 240 children attend school in Goko and 230 in Keleguerima. Both schools started to operate in 2008. Namissiguima was built in 2009 and 280 students started school in September. The curriculum provides for six years of elementary education.
In 2008 we built our first public high school in Thiou, a town 30 miles outside Ouahigouya. In the past, children had to commute to Ouahigouya to attend a secondary school and very few ever did. 180 children are now attending secondary school near their home.
The Institute provides the funds for the building and equipment of the schools and NEEED, an organization that helps alphabetize children in the north of Burkina Faso, oversees all the work on-site. A prerequisite for building a school is the availability of water. Drilling is both costly and uncertain as one has to drill up to 100 meters to find water. The well is often also used by the village community.
