Burkina Faso - Young adults and children living in the streets in Ouagadougou: emergency assistance, aid for stabilisation and support with reintegration

Context

In 2016, the Burkina Faso is ranked 185^th out of the 188 countries according to the Human Development Index (UDI) and 43% of its population live below the poverty line. Three major factors shape its current situation and future challenges with regard to the problem of social exclusion: a youthful population, increasing urbanisation and social and economic changes that have a destabilising effect. These structural factors, combined with a lowering of the standard of living of large sections of the urban population, certain socio-educational drifts (arising from the child fostering system, Koranic education, etc.) and local socio-cultural constraints (such as early marriage, school drop-out, low levels of children's participation in the choices that concern them, etc.), constitute a breeding ground for the phenomenon of children and young people living in the streets.

The phenomenon of children and young people living in the streets has been identified for nearly 20 years in Burkina Faso. The last-but-one census undertaken by the Burkinabe Ministry of Social Action and National Solidarity in 2011 recorded 5,721 minors living on the country's streets. The most recent census, conducted at the end of 2016 by the Ministry responsible for social affairs, counted nearly 10,000 children  living in the streets in Burkina Faso, a sharp increase (approximately 43% in five years).

In this context, after several years of support (2011-2013 andt 2014-2016), Monaco's Official Development Assistance is continuing its aid for a third financing phase.

This project contributes to SDG1 "End poverty in all its forms everywhere" (Targets 1.2, 1.3) and SDG4 "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" (Targets 4.4 et 4.5).

Project owner

Samusocial International and Samusocial from Burkina Faso (SSBF).

Overall objective 

To help combat the social exclusion of children and young people in Burkina Faso, through comprehensive, bespoke care for children, adolescents and young adults in a situation of great vulnerability on the streets of Ouagadougou and offer support with their social and economic reintegration.

Specific objectives

• To provide young adults and children living in the streets with high quality emergency medical and psycho-social care and support with projects to help them to come off the streets, adapted to their respective needs
• Strengthen the involvement and capacity of stakeholders to encourage support with projects for the socio-economic reintegration of young adults and children living in the streets and prevent new arrivals on the streets

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries:
1,000 children and young adults living in the streets in Ouagadougou.

Indirect beneficiaries:
Families of children and young people in the care of the SSBF, children in long-term care centres in which the SSBF runs weekly or monthly medical clinics, SSBF partner structures and their staff, as well as the Burkinabe general public, at prevention and/or awareness-raising activities and events.

Anticipated outcomes

• 1,000 children and young adults living in the streets in Ouagadougou had access to comprehensive care, adapted to their specific needs, thanks to the multidisciplinary services provided by the SSBF and its partners
• At least 240 young adults and children who so requested were helped to come off the streets and were followed throughout their reintegration process
• The skills and capacity of professionals (SSBF staff and partners) in medico-psycho-social and educational care have been strengthened
• A consultation and action network on the socio-economic reintegration of young adults has been formalised and is operational
• A network of people and structures becomes a means of prevention within communities with regard to the phenomenon of children and young people arriving in the streets