Ganzourgou: On Saturday, October 26, 2024, Kabouda, a village in the commune of Méguet, vibrated to the rhythm of a ceremony marking the inauguration of a library, an administrative building and three classrooms for the benefit of the locality’s General Education College (CEG). Sponsored by Eugène Zagré, this symbolic day brought together several figures from the province, including the High Commissioner of Ganzourgou Province, Aminata Sorgho/Gouba, as well as local authorities and representatives of various associative partners.
According to Burkina Information Agency, these new achievements were made possible thanks to the combined efforts of Pierre Tapsoba and Eugène Zagré, natives of Kabouda, as well as the Association for the Promotion of Reading and Culture for Development (PROLEC-DEV), financially supported by the Research and Action Group for Economic Development of KABOUDA (GRADeK) and the Harnes-Kabouda twinning. The fully equipped library is a further step towards promoting reading and education i
n this rural area.
The representative of the chief of Kabouda thanked the daughters and sons of Kabouda, as well as the partners, for their mobilization. He called for unity for the development of the locality.
For his part, the director of the CEG of Kabouda, Emmanuel Congo, recalled the history of the establishment, created in 2014 in modest conditions and shared the encouraging results obtained in the BEPC over the years. Today, with an enrollment of 247 students, including 170 girls, the CEG continues to grow despite the challenges. Mr. Congo took the opportunity to express grievances, including the installation of a water supply, toilets for staff, and the renovation of the first dilapidated building.
The president of PROLEC-DEV, Flore Alice Yaméogo/Tapsoba, recalled the association’s objectives: to promote reading among all social categories, to encourage responsible use of technologies, and to promote development through documentation professions.
According to him, after its creation in 2020, PROLE
C-DEV has undertaken concrete actions including the development of a library at the Ziou high school in 2021, including the provision of books and the training of a local manager. This pioneering project illustrates the association’s commitment to better access to reading in rural areas.
PROLEC-DEV, which has invested nearly 15 million FCFA in the Kabouda library, intends to make this infrastructure a place where the “food that is reading never runs out”.
Ms Yaméogo then asked the local authorities to provide an agent to manage the library, with PROLEC-DEV undertaking to provide training.
GRADeK President Sambo Lazare Kaboré encouraged students to make good use of the library. ‘Reading is the key to success,’ he said, stressing the importance of this initiative for the future of Kabouda’s youth.
The student representative, Fatimata Kaboré, expressed the gratitude of the beneficiaries and committed on behalf of her classmates to maintaining these new infrastructures so that they can be used by future gener
ations.
Ganzourgou Provincial Director of Secondary Education Salifou Séré welcomed the new infrastructure, stressing that it will help improve learning conditions. However, he raised the issue of boys dropping out of school to go to gold mining sites, calling for increased awareness to keep boys in school.
The patron of the ceremony, Eugène Zagré, expressed his wish to see these philanthropic actions multiply. He advocated for the erection of the CEG into a high school in order to allow students to continue their studies without long journeys. He reiterated his commitment and that of his compatriots to support the State in the development of new school infrastructures.
Finally, the High Commissioner of Ganzourgou, Aminata Sorgho/Gouba, joined her voice to that of the President of the special communal delegation of Méguet, Céline Yvette Bazemo to thank all those who contributed to the creation of these gems. Ms. Sorgho recalled that “education is the key to development.” She invited students to reconnect w
ith reading while emphasizing the importance of knowing how to make good use of the resources of the internet and social networks.