All’s well that ends well

Bibata is a young girl who is the victim of forced marriage. She ran away from a family court to stay with her friend. Some time later she returned to her family hoping that they had given up on the idea of marrying her off against her will. Sadly that was not the case. She refused to marry once again and was then banished by her father. She found refuge with the social services in Koubri. The social-work department asked AMPO to take her in to MIA/ALMA while they were making further attempts to reconcile her with her family. A few months after she arrived at MIA/ALMA she discovered she was pregnant. The social services were informed and contact was made to the alleged father. Two weeks after the baby was born the father came to MIA/ALMA and (fortunately) accepted paternity of his son.  

Justin’s life saved by persuasion

Justin Ouédraogo is the youngest of four children from a farming family living in a village about 30 kms from Ouagadougou. A community worker referred him to AMPO since he had been living for five years with a chronic sore on his left arm. Because his parents didn’t know any better and owing to a shortage of money, the sore got worse and worse and the risk of septicaemia increased. Justin was given first aid at the AMPO Clinic and was then placed in the AMPO Rehab Unit so that he could have access to further tests at a hospital that was better equipped.

The x-rays taken of Justin’s arm at the Charles de Gaulle Children’s Hospital two days after he arrived, indicated that he was suffering from chronic osteomyelitis with a completely irreparable bone in his left arm. The doctors at the children’s hospital decided to amputate Justin’s arm to save his life. When Justin and his father refused the treatment proposed by the surgeons, the AMPO Clinic staff contacted the psychologist and another member of staff, who had been amputated herself and is now working at the AMPO Clinic, to discuss the situation with Justin and his father. Eventually the operation took place and Justin stayed for five whole months with his mother at the AMPO Rehab Unit where he was treated and provided with psychological support. Justin has now completely recovered and he wants to go back to school. His entire family is grateful to AMPO and its partners, especially DEVELOPmed.aid for taking over the costs.

P.P.Filles provides girls with school material

As school starts once more, those girls who participate regularly in the P.P.Filles discussions were given school material (exercise books, pens, rulers, pencils, etc.). This AMPO initiative is to support the girls in their studies and to help the needy families they come from.

The campaign for presidential and parliamentary elections in Burkina Faso ...

is underway. The young people at AMPO are also learning lessons in democracy. This October saw the election of the representatives in the Orphanage for Girls. Every year they elect the Board which is responsible for the smooth running of the orphanage, taking into account the opinions of the girls living there, under the supervision of the educators

They start by setting up a jury of five girls to define the rules for voting and counting the ballots. Seven candidates were on the list and Hamzéta ZONGO, a 12th grade student, was elected President by her peers – unanimously!

The Board

The manifesto of the new President is:

1. Endeavour to create a peaceful environment for the youngest girls
2. Ensure academic success for all the girls
3. Ensure safety of girls on the way to and from school
4. Promote harmony and solidarity among the girls.

Here are the results of the vote:

1. President: Hamzéta ZONGO
2. Vice-President: Awa OUATTARA
3. Advisor 1: Haoulate PILABRE
4. Advisor 2: Djemilatou WANDAOGO

To assist the Board in its function Adissa NIKIEMA was appointed Information Officer and Nematou NITIEMA was appointed Honorary President. That is how seriously we take democracy here.

Meeting family members in the Orphanage for Boys

The support process in the closed AMPO facilities is centred around the family.

On the last Saturday of every month the children in both orphanages return to their families as part of the process of maintaining family contact.

When mothers, aunts, brothers or fathers come to the orphanage to pick up the children, the team of educators meet them to discuss the children and gather information about them. The information is a means for AMPO to update its data. This 3-way exchange (family-educators-children) helps AMPO to understand the children better. For the families it is also an opportunity to thank AMPO for the work they are doing.