Burkina Faso

Give access to health and protection

Terre des hommes (Tdh) has been active in Burkina Faso since 1987 and carries out projects related to health, nutrition and childhood protection. In 2011, more than 79,000 people benefited from the activities implemented.

The context

Burkina Faso is one of the least developed countries in the world. 80% of the population depends on a subsistence economy. The situation is complicated by cruelly inadequate infrastructures and high unemployment. The inaccessibility or complete lack of a healthcare system is a huge problem, and has a significant impact on mothers and children. Infant mortality is particularly high due to the important number of births that take place outside of any healthcare facility. Malnutrition is widespread throughout the whole country. Alongside this, a large number of Burkinabés have emigrated to Côte d’Ivoire or Ghana for economic reasons. Poverty forces many children to work at a very young age, making them vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking.

Our intervention

Protection of children working as domestic servants or in mines and stone quarries

In addition to awareness-raising sessions and the implementation of protection measures, Tdh works to strengthen traditional child protection mechanisms. The Foundation also establishes alliances with the authorities in order to put in place a mechanism capable of identifying and taking responsibility for children at risk and offering individual assistance aimed at successful reintegration (education, school support and professional training).

Health and nutrition

Since 2007, Tdh has assisted two health districts in combating severe acute malnutrition in children under the age of 5. The project has three main focus areas: firstly, strengthening health bodies to improve the quality of healthcare; secondly, a mechanism to provide free healthcare to all children under the age of 5, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, thereby increasing health coverage; and finally, community health workers are supported in their role of raising awareness among mothers of prevention, screening and child monitoring.

Juvenile justice

In 2009, Tdh launched a project aimed at improving procedures relating to justice for minors and promoting alternatives to detention within the community.

• -1.966267 13.444488

  Seguenega

• -0.617352 12.258925

  Zorgho

• -3.202887 13.382656

  Toeni

• -3.067002 13.068551

  Tougan

• -4.291563 11.18182

  Bobo Dioulasso

• -1.533337 12.371963

  Ouagadougou

• -0.022888 14.132847

  Dori

• -3.497315 15.284185

  Mopti (Mali)