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IN BURKINA FASO WITH A GOAL: CULTIVATING VALUE

The New Year has just started and we at Salute e Sviluppo are already on the road! The mission that saw us in Burkina Faso to plan the activities of the new project ‘Cultivating Value: good practices and innovative methods for inclusive and sustainable agro-livestock production’, financed by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS), ended a few days ago.
This new initiative was inaugurated at the beginning of the year and for 36 months we will be committed to strengthening the structures and production activities that we had started in 2017 thanks to the support of the Italian Cooperation – MAECI, within the project ‘Innovative rice production and valorisation of local products for food sovereignty and sustainable rural development in the Bagré area, Burkina Faso’.

We are again in Bagré, a rural area in the central eastern part of Burkina Faso, which – due to its extreme poverty – has been the focus of several of our interventions for many years. In this region, the population, already exhausted by precarious living conditions, must also deal with the fear and violence brought to the country by Islamic terrorism, which aims to make the country’s already fragile balance even more unstable.

Terrorism, which has escalated in recent years, also makes it complex to carry out cooperation projects in large areas of the country, which are considered unsafe. We at Salute e Sviluppo also came up against this sad reality, having to coordinate the project from the capital Ouagadougou, instead of directly from the intervention site. Without allowing ourselves to be discouraged by this, we nevertheless decided to take on this new challenge, which has the sustainable development of the Burkinabe primary sector as its primary objective.
La parola chiave è diversificazione: durante questi 36 mesi, ci proponiamo di rendere la produzione agricola e zootecnica della zona il più varia possibile, garantendo così alla popolazione locale non solo cibo a sufficienza, ma anche una dieta varia e la salvezza dalla malnutrizione.

At the same time, the project will bring other benefits: thanks to the strengthening of existing farms and agrarian supply chains, more jobs will be secured for locals who, by becoming part of this production system, will be able to increase the economic capacity of the community’s families. A real improvement in conditions will hopefully help curb the desire to emigrate, considering the absorption of many locals into the new jobs that will be created.

Strengthening the primary sector is of paramount importance to achieve the project goals as agriculture and animal husbandry are still conducted using traditional methods. An important aspect of the initiative is the promotion of women’s empowerment through the transfer of knowledge to local women who will thus have the opportunity to improve family food production based on horticulture and forest products.

The project appears ambitious in terms of its objectives and at the same time difficult due to the unstable and dangerous condition of the area. Fortunately, there are many partners actively participating in the project, bringing added value: the NGO Santé et Promotion Humaine (SAPHE), which has been collaborating for many years with Health and Development for the agricultural and livestock development of the country, managing the production chains created with the previous project with local personnel; the Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Forestry Sciences and Technologies (DAGRI) of the University of Florence, which specialises in food production and environmental protection and recovery in tropical and sub-tropical countries, thanks to many research and cooperation activities; the NGO AES-CCC, which has been rooted in the Burkinabé territory for many years with programmes to combat malnutrition and food security, with a specific focus on empowering women at both the local and institutional level.

In addition, several local stakeholders are joining the cause by helping us in this new challenge: Bagrépole, the Women’s Associations of the Region and the Government Departments at municipal level in the area, all of which are rooted in the territory with the ability to act in a timely manner in solving any problems.

Despite the endemic difficulties of the area, the Health and Development project is designed to be long-lasting, sustainable and rooted in the territory: the fundamental objective is to bring about a positive change in Burkinabé productive capacity, which will prove to be so at the end of the 36 months, enabling the local population to improve their living conditions in the long term.

We are only at the beginning of this new adventure, an ambitious challenge that we hope to win, thanks to the funding from AICS and the valuable cooperation of partners. We will always keep you updated on the small and big milestones we achieve!

MANY ACHIEVEMENTS IN BOSSEMPTÉLÉ

Not many months have passed since we told you about our project Health and Nutrition for the Vulnerable Population of the Sub-Prefecture of Bossemptélé, which is part of the ‘Emergency Initiative in Support of the Vulnerable Population in the Central African Republic’ funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), and whose aim is to improve the living conditions of the population of the Bossemptélé Sub-Prefecture, which is particularly tried by the instability in the country. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The Central African Republic has never enjoyed such tranquillity as to allow it to grow and prosper; on the contrary, it has had to contend with numerous coups d’état and as many dictators who, acting without scruples, have allowed the exploitation of the country’s resources, without a thought for the increasingly sacrificed population. The situation in recent years has been particularly difficult: rebel groups have clashed several times with state forces, causing violence and deaths, especially among the most vulnerable population.

In this complex context, the John Paul II Hospital played a key role, providing a point of reference for the population of the sub-prefecture. Despite the clashes and violence, the hospital has always continued to operate and provide support.

Our project starts with the John Paul II Hospital with the intention of increasing its capacity to respond adequately to the needs and requirements of the population. Before our intervention, the facility did not have a proper emergency room in which to receive urgent patients. Now the renovation and extension work on the premises is almost complete and by the end of the project – December 2022 – it is also planned to provide the emergency department with all the necessary furniture and machinery.

Another deficiency found within the hospital concerned the nutritional aspect: a triple problem considering that most of the patients are in a serious state of malnutrition upon admission, that food is necessary to ensure a proper course of treatment and rehabilitation, and that most of those who come from the neighbouring villages, once they arrive in the city, do not have the possibility of buying anything at the local market due to the excessively high prices.

For these reasons, it was decided to build a canteen to provide three full meals a day – based on cereals, meat or fish – for the in-patients, who can thus follow a correct diet and sufficient caloric intake to aid their recovery. The canteen service is also offered to relatives from afar who care for patients in severe need. Currently, more than 2250 meals per month are provided.

In order to improve the quality of the hospital’s services, it was necessary to train 38 in-service health workers in specialist disciplines such as obstetrics and ophthalmology. The training courses are already leading to a significant improvement in hospital performance.

One of the most ambitious components of our intervention is the strengthening of the medical centres located in the villages surrounding Bossemptélé, where services are almost non-existent. Thanks to the AICS-funded project, we have rehabilitated – or in some cases built from scratch – several postes de santé, each of which has a well with access to drinking water. The work is almost complete and the population of the villages of Gbawi, Bodangui, Bombalou and Yangoro already has access to basic health services, without having to make the journey to the city of Bossemptélé, unless strictly necessary for the treatment of more complex illnesses.

Not only qualitative reinforcement of the hospital and postes de santé, but also a mobile clinic service that, twice a week, visits the most difficult-to-reach villages, providing treatment and health education with awareness-raising meetings on prevention and first aid.

Thanks to the support of AICS, our work in the Central African Republic has reached new heights that we hope will mark the beginning of a better life for many people living in the sub-prefecture of Bossemptélé.

This article was produced within the framework of the project Health and Nutrition for the Vulnerable Population of the Subprefecture of Bossemptélé AID 05/RCA/12049/2021 funded by the Italian Development Cooperation Agency. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Italian Development Cooperation Agency. The Italian Development Cooperation Agency is not responsible for information that is considered erroneous, incomplete, inadequate, defamatory or in any way reprehensible.

A SCHOOL AND MANY NURSES

Our Project Director, Mariella, and Fr. Felice de Miranda, President of Salute e Sviluppo, went in the Central African Republic for the usual monitoring of ongoing projects in the country.

The area in which we are currently operating is part of the sub-prefecture of Bossemptélé, an area that is particularly poor and lacking in infrastructure. The only health centre in the area is the John Paul II Hospital, which, as we have repeatedly mentioned, was fundamental for the population, especially during the harshest periods of the civil war fought in the country.
On 1 January 2021, the Project to set up a nursing school: vocational training paths for improving health conditions in the Central African Republic, funded by the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), began.

The aim of this project is to complete, by 2023, a nursing school with the aim of training specialised personnel who can implement the services provided in the hospital. Besides the construction of the school, a fence and a well are also planned. At a later stage, furniture, computers and other materials will be purchased to meet the needs of the students who will undertake this certified and nationally recognised course of study, which will also make use of the synergy with the John Paul II Hospital for field placements.

If at the beginning of the year we showed you photos of the construction of the well and the beginning of the fence, we can now announce that construction work on the building is proceeding at a good pace, while work on the well and the fence has been completed. Thanks to this last mission, it was possible not only to ascertain the progress made, but also to help the local contact persons with the most optimal design of the facility, which is expected to be ready in a few months.

It makes us particularly happy that from the start of the project to date, the feedback from the population towards our initiative has been more than favourable: while in the first year 11 students enrolled, this year 25 students will be selected out of 30 applicants who applied by taking the school’s admission test. All the teachers are university professors from Bangui, who teach the classes to a high standard, at the end of which a diploma is awarded – after a positive assessment by the examination board – which is valid in the entire country.

In addition, the health workers of the postés de santé of the villages in the area will also participate in the lessons next school year, as the Central African government has stipulated that all public health personnel must increase their level of competence. The government authorities have identified our nursing school as the right place for their theoretical and practical training and will take charge of their preparation.

In addition to increasing staff and hospital standards, the project also aims to increase social inclusion and help many young people integrate constructively into society.

Since the beginning of the year, progress has been remarkable, and it is only a short time before the structure is completed. These achievements make us all the more proud, considering the situation in the Central African Republic, which still suffers from a situation of very strong instability that undermines the possibility of improvement and growth. We hope to give you many more happy updates on our activities!

STONE BY STONE THE FUTURE OF GARANGO IS BEING BUILT

At the end of each article we promise to update you on the progress of our activities, we want to respect the word given and we are really happy to be able to give good news. Today, in fact, we will talk about the project, presented a few months ago, of Realization of a kindergarten in the city of Garango in Burkina Faso: funded by the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI), and started last February 1.

Burkina Faso is one of the poorest areas in the world and in particular the region in which Garango is located has many shortcomings, both from the point of view of health and education. We are talking about a territory where schools are often far away and difficult to reach, where traditional culture still plays a central role in family life and where families do not always want to send their children to school.

Pre-school education is almost completely non-existent: children between the ages of 3 and 5 have no facilities that guarantee adequate training and provide a springboard for their subsequent education.

Salute e Sviluppo wants to respond to this need by giving the possibility to about 100 children to live school, sociality and education. If this is the primary objective, the secondary objective is to succeed in changing the widespread mentality, especially among the older generations, still skeptical about the need to have their children studied. Thanks to an awareness programme, we aim to build a much more conscious and attentive community.

The project, as we anticipated, consists in the construction of the school that will host the children: three classrooms, a canteen and a rest room, in addition to the services and rooms of the administration. Subsequently, the school materials will be provided, the training of the operators who will take care of the children and the constitution of the three classes divided by age.

We should wait until February 2023 to see the project completed and the first classes can begin their journey, but already now the progress that has been made is remarkable: we can see from the photos how the structure of the school building was almost completely completed externally, the fence wall already finished and the other environments under construction.

The project is absolutely sustainable and aims to last a long time, remaining rooted in the territory, thanks to the involvement of all the local people: starting from the Camillian community on site, arriving at the operators and school staff, all made up of people belonging to the territory of the diocese of Tenkodogo.

We hope that by the end everything can proceed as planned and that next February the school will be operational and ready to welcome children from 3 to 5 years in the best way. We are proud of all these stones that, one on top of the other, are contributing to the construction of the place of the childhood of many Burkinabé children.

UKRAINE: TOGETHER TO OVERCOME THE EMERGENCY

Four months have passed since Russian troops crossed the Ukrainian border and war broke out. Every day the news of massacres, tragedies and horrors followed one another at a dizzying pace.

Salute e Sviluppo together with the associations CADIS, FONDAZIONE PROSA, MISSION CALCUTTA ONLUS, MADIAN ORIZZONTI and CESMET immediately mobilized to provide help and support to the fleeing Ukrainian population and their Polish neighbors in managing the millions of refugees.

Thanks to your donations we were able to promptly send the funds for the first emergency, starting the project TOGETHER FOR UKRAINE: ASSISTANCE TO MOTHERS AND CHILDREN FLEEING THE WAR.

The local Camillians, since the early stages of the conflict, have made every effort to provide as much help as possible to refugees from Ukraine. Commissioned by the Polish government to manage the first reception, they installed infopoints in the central station of Warsaw where trains arrive and in the west station of Warsaw dedicated to buses. At the moment there are about 7 million people who have fled the war crossing the border, most of them are mothers with small and elderly children. Many have stopped in large urban centres, but they do not have enough space to accommodate them all.

In Lomianki Burakow, about 15 kilometers north of the centre of Warsaw, the Camillians made available their religious residence for the reception of about 30 refugees, providing them with medical, psychological and legal support. While in Ursus, about 13 kilometers to the west, a facility used for the shelter of the homeless was equipped for the reception of refugees, at the time 19.

In both centers there are many activities, designed especially for children: snacks for Mother’s Day, concerts and circus performances for the day of the child. In the structure of Lomianki is also planned the establishment of a kindergarten and the recovery of green areas surrounding the structure.

The project that Salute e Sviluppo, together with all the other associations, has decided to carry out is of the duration of three years and provides for the support of all refugees already present in the two structures and the restructuring of the upper floor of the residence of Lomianki – currently unusable – which inside would have another 9 rooms with the possibility of accommodating another 20 people.

With your donations for the emergency in Ukraine, we will continue to support the many refugees who, with the help of the Polish Camillians, try every day to put together the pieces of a normality that has now disappeared.

In this dark moment, you can turn on a light.

Click here https://www.salutesviluppo.org/dona-ora/choose the method of donation and write in the reason HELP UKRAINE.

We thank MISSION CALCUTTA ONLUS AND CADIS for the images used.

THE FUTURE OF SNEHAGRAM

Towards the future of young people at Snehagram Centre Transition programme for independent life is the title of the third phase of the initiative that sees Salute e Sviluppo engaged in India to help HIV-positive children thanks to the contribution of the Catholic Church, which allocates part of the 8xMILLE of the total IRPEF revenue for charitable interventions in favour of the Third World.

HIV continues to be such a serious problem for India that the government, especially in recent years, has been pushing a massive education and prevention campaign. The results of this policy have been remarkable: in most of the territory, the percentage of new infections has dropped considerably. However, the number of HIV-positive children and young people who have been orphaned by this same disease and who risk a life of poverty and segregation still remains high: marginalised because they are considered infected and alone without relatives.

Sneha Charitable Trust (SCT) has been working for many years to welcome, care for and educate HIV-positive orphans, aiming at their full integration into society. Salute e Sviluppo, supported by the Conferenza Episcopale Italiana (CEI), assists the centre’s activities through a multi-stage programme, each of which refers to a specific age group. At the moment, the third project is underway, which focuses on young people aged 18 to 24 and aims to get them into work and achieve autonomy/semi-autonomy.

All children accommodated at Snehagram are encouraged to choose their subjects and activities according to their own inclinations. This enhances learning and allows specialisation in a specific field that can be their future employment and source of income. Some decided to specialise in agriculture, others in animal husbandry, others in IT or mechanics. Based on these fields of interest, the centre equipped itself with everything necessary to help the young people acquire effective practical training: fields were created, a greenhouse and a farm were built, seeds, fertilisers and various equipment were bought.

In addition to vocational training, a key part of the project is the construction of housing that will be allocated to each young person according to their chosen field of work and health status. Those who, over the years, have specialised in areas such as mechanics or IT need to be close to the city, as opposed to those who, working in the fields or on the farm, need to stay in their immediate vicinity.

Those who benefit from this project are both the 40 young people who, having grown up at the Snehagram reception centre, have become adults and need to become socially and economically self-sufficient; and the community, which will have a young and specialised workforce that can be employed in several professional sectors.

The stigma of HIV is still very much felt in India, and being able to integrate these young people into the social fabric, thanks to the technical skills they have acquired, means moving them away from the segregation and isolation that a disease like AIDS has as its direct consequences in some parts of the world.

Salute e Sviluppo launched this two-year project in 2018. During the first year, the set objectives were achieved and the deadlines were met. The advent of the pandemic in March 2020 made the smooth continuation of the programme impossible: all Snehagram’s activities were converted to cope with the COVID, which erupted violently in India, affecting most of the centre’s guests, workers and even local Camillians.

It was not until last autumn that all project activities could be resumed. At the end, we at Salute e Sviluppo will be proud to introduce you to the 40 boys from the Snehagram centre, who, thanks to the help of the CEI, can now look forward to a peaceful life fully integrated in their society and community.

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