19. November 2023
Author: Wendyam Birba, Helvetas Burkina Faso
Link to the video (English): https://youtu.be/UU1iUskpYDk
In eastern Burkina Faso, in the Bogandé region, a little prodigal has revealed himself to the world. He has decided to make the fight against open defecation his battle horse. Victor Bourgou, aged just 11, is a courageous and exemplary pupil. As a result of the Blue School program run by the LAAFIA project in several parts of the country, little Victor became aware of the need to raise awareness of good hygiene and sanitation practices and the fight against open defecation. With his own little hands, he decided to equip his family with a pit latrine. Without the consent of his parents, who thought he was crazy, Victor decided to dig the latrine pit himself. After several days of solitary effort, Victor succeeded in digging a pit of 3 m depth. Seeing his determination, his family ended up lending a hand. Little Victor’s courage finally paid off. With his parents’ help, he built 4 latrines on the family plot. Since then, the whole village has been talking about his bravery. He became a role model for children his own age and an ambassador of cleanliness for his village. With this gesture, Victor touched the sensibilities of adults and succeeded in getting his message across: “No to open defecation”.
Open defecation is a major health problem worldwide. According to World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, 419 million people still defecate in the open air. Statistics from Burkina Faso’s Institut national de la statistique et de la démographie (INSD) show that: “half of all households still defecate in the open and 55% dispose their excreta in the street”. In fact, many households have no toilets and are forced to defecate in the open. For those who do, the problem of managing excreta arises. With no means for safe disposal, excreta end up in the street, undermining the efforts made. Aware of this worrying situation, the NGO HELVETAS has set up two WASH (water and sanitation) projects: the LAAFIA project and the SANYA SANU project. These projects carry out a wide range of actions, particularly in schools, where they have instituted the Blue School concept, a signature approach of the SWSC (Swiss Water and Sanitation Consortium).
A Blue School is a school that provides a healthy learning environment and introduces students to environmental technologies and practices that can be replicated in their communities. Blue Schools encourage students to become aware of their environment and to become agents of change within their community. In a Blue School, pupils have access to drinking water, use well-maintained latrines, observe good hygiene practices, cultivate gardens and participate in the collection and separation of solid waste. Thanks to this education, Victor Bourgou distinguished himself as an ambassador. As the world celebrates World Toilet Day on November 19, with the theme of “Accelerating Change”, Victor’s story is well worth telling. His experience shows us that anyone can become an agent of change, regardless of age. So let’s be inspired by his story, follow his example and be the change we’d like to see in the world.