Hands United and BiSongo
Our work in Burkina Faso with Bi-Songo, has blossomed into a long-term relationship. For 2012 we have committed to building a preschool, which will be the first in Saponé. Preschool is essential since it gives the young children the basic foundation to help them succeed in elementary school and develops the desire to learn in preschool.
Consonant with our mission, we have raised money over the last several years to sponsor children to attend the Bi-Songo school in Saponé. This sponsorship entailed paying for the tuition, school supplies, and when needed, a bicycle, for over 100 children in the last four years. We know have the opportunity to make an even more profound difference in the lives of these children through the building of the preschool
BiSongo
Bi-Songo, which means “wise child”, is a non-profit organization founded in 2000 and situated in Saponé, Burkina Faso. Their mission is to help enhance the children’s physical health, education, culture and to improve women’s financial status.
Specifically, they are focused on improving health through education – advancing education by making it possible for less-fortunate children to attend school, promoting culture through knowledge transfer and equal access to education regardless of gender, and improving community finances through sponsorship of economic activities such as the production and marketing of Shea butter.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Political instability, high population density and limited natural resources have resulted in their being one of the world’s poorest countries, ranked 204th in per capita income and with 46% of the population below the poverty line.
Education expenditures, at 4.6% of GDP ranking them 75th in the world, demonstrate a commitment to education but limited resources mean that the literacy rate is a mere 21.8%, with males having double the rate of females. This has been improving, as the government has made a concerted effort to make school more accessible to girls. However, since schooling is not free, boys receive preference in schooling; therefore, girls' education and literacy rates are far lower than their male counterparts.
The Need for a Preschool
Building a preschool will have a profound effect on the children of Saponé, helping them transition to the school environment and freeing their mothers to increase family income. Preschool is essential since it gives young children the basic foundation to help them succeed in elementary school and develops the desire to learn in preschool. A preschool is an essential beginning to help them transcend poverty by learning how to read and understand the French language necessary to continue on in school.
UNICEF, together with the Ministry for Social Welfare and National Solidarity, is providing financial and technical support as well as pedagogical and play material for 90 such centers throughout the country. Extensive research has shown that access to early childhood development (ECD) services and early learning for young children will strongly influence their future physical and mental health and social development. Thus, ECD not only ensures a healthy start into a child’s life but also means an investment into the development of their society’s future.
How You Can Help
We need your financial support. Hands United needs to raise $52,000 to build the school, furnish it, and buy playground equipment and supplies and an additional $25,000 for employee salaries and food for the children over a 3 year period. With your help, by September 2014, 90 kids per year will be given the chance to succeed in school and build a solid foundation for their adult life. We encourage you to donate to make this possible. Please contact us to learn more about BiSongo, the preschool and how you can get involved.