Kongoussi, The Association for Peace and Solidarity (APS) has launched a hygiene and sanitation project which will relieve internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host populations in the communes of Kongoussi and Bourzanga on October 17, 2023 in Kongoussi, under the chairmanship of the High Commissioner of the Bam province, Adama Jean Yves Béré. The launching ceremony was also attended by the national coordinator of the APS, Kevin Ouédraogo, and the project manager, Vanessa Kaboré.
The project launched in Kongoussi is called “integrated humanitarian assistance project for people affected by the security and food crisis in the communes of Kongoussi, Bourzanga (north-central region)”.
It has a cost of 500,000 US dollars (300 million CFA) and will make it possible to carry out and rehabilitate boreholes for the internally displaced populations and the populations of the host communities of the two beneficiary communes of the project, which are Bourzanga and Kongoussi , we have a period of 12 months.
According to the national coordinator of the APS, Kevin Ouédraogo, his organization chose to intervene in the communes of Bourzanga and Kongoussi because the need is there.
And for him, the extension of the project to the host populations aims to satisfy all levels.
“Last year, we only targeted internally displaced people, but this year, we wanted to correct that by taking into account all populations in our intervention area,” he said. According to Kevin Ouédraogo, the project will focus on WASH, hygiene, sanitation, and economic support for women.
For the project manager at the APS, Vanessa Kaboré, the project is structured in two parts.
The first part concerns water, hygiene and sanitation. It will improve beneficiaries’ access to hydraulic works and sanitation infrastructure.
“We will drill 2 boreholes and rehabilitate 3. We will also build 25 latrines and rehabilitate 150 others. The distribution of kits (hygiene, sanitation and WASH) to 200 couples of malnourished children is also planned. At the level of the second component, which is dedicated to combating gender-based violence (GBV), forum theaters and awareness spaces will be used in the two municipalities to raise awareness among women and young girls,” she explained.
To better succeed in its mission in Bourzanga, which is still inaccessible by land, the project plans to use the air route in partnership with a company.
The president of the special Kongoussi delegation, Abel Dayamba, thanked the APS for having chosen his commune. According to his explanations, the city of Kongoussi has a real need for hygiene and sanitation infrastructure.
“The special Kongoussi delegation is ready to support the APS in the implementation of this project, which came to relieve us because we really needed it,” said Abel Dayamba.
As for the High Commissioner of the province, Adama Jean Yves Béré, he urged the various partners of the project to work in synergy of action for its proper execution for the benefit of the populations.
As a reminder, the APS is carrying out this project with the support of the Regional Humanitarian Fund for West and Central Africa (FHRAOC).
Source: Burkina Information Agency