Burkina Faso

Education for children with disabilities

In 2010 we have made great strides towards ensuring that children who are deaf or hearing impaired, in particular, can access education. In the capital Ouagadougou, 331 children who are deaf or hearing impaired and 123 children with other speech and physical disabilities were given the opportunity to learn. In Bobo Dioulasso, 135 children who are deaf or hearing impaired were supported to go to school.

2011 will see us continue to support as many children with disabilities as possible to access their right to education. This includes visiting families to identify children with disabilities and providing the necessary
medical and rehabilitation support. In 2010 in Garango alone, we visited 2,386 families with 21,528 children and 1,806 children under 16 were identified as either having a disability or of being at risk of becoming disabled. In 2011 we will continue to identify children with disabilities; provide training to teachers to enable them to meet the specific learning needs of children who are deaf or hearing impaired; support schools in providing an accessible learning environment; and raise awareness among parents, schools and communities that children with disabilities can and should have the right to learn.

Preventing blindness

LIGHT FOR THE WORLD will continue to work in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health, providing training, expertise, equipment and other vital support in eye care. In 2010, such support allowed 2,991
cataract surgeries to be performed. Yet, a lack of trained eye care workers continues to be a real challenge, especially in rural areas. Of the 16 ophthalmologists currently working in Burkina Faso, only 4 work in
rural areas and 3 of these are supported by LIGHT FOR THE WORLD. We are supporting the long-term identification and training of future ophthalmologists who will bring eye care to rural areas where there is currently none.

Habibou – seeing her grandchildren

Hearing about a LIGHT FOR THE WORLD outreach eye clinic in Garango, 75-year-old Habibou who is blind sets out with her daughter Marian and her young grandson Adaro who she has never seen, with little hope of having her sight restored.
Habibou became completely blind four years ago after years of deteriorating sight. The loss of her sight impacts daily on Habibou who has worked all her life and who had a large family with many children and
grandchildren.
At the outreach clinic Habibou patiently waits her turn and is delighted when Dr. Sanou tells
her that her blindness is caused by cataract and can be cured. Having arrived guided by her daughter, Habibou is able to walk home unaided, taking in the long-unseen sights and looking forward to seeing the rest of her family.