A wave of mercy in Burkina Faso
Association Apostolat des Pauvres
On Easter Monday, the Association “APOSTOLAT DES PAUVRES” organized an open-air concert in the town of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso. The event was entitled “Give a smile to a child“. The funds raised go towards feeding “street children” and paying school fees for other needy children from families displaced by war. And so, among the evening’s performers, children played a key role, with songs, dances and more…
But what is the inspiring spark behind the « Apostolat des Pauvres Association »?
We spoke to Madame SODRE Natacha SAWADOGO, head of the association, to find out more.
SODRE Natacha SAWADOGO Association Manager
Ever since I was a child, when I saw children sleeping on the streets, in the cold on cardboard boxes or in ditches, I’ve always shed tears and raised a “war cry”: “succeed at school, earn lots of money so that one day I can look after these children”. Over the years, the flame and love for the poor grew within me, and it was in 2019 that I received from the Lord the mission to create a professional and social reintegration center for these street children. I then had to find other partners. So, having clearly received my call, I decided to share my project with those I knew after asking God’s Holy Spirit to draw to me those he had mandated to accompany me in this mission. In July 2020 we held our first meeting and subsequently set up the office under the name “Apostolat des pauvres“. In 2022, we created a national association to be better organized and more autonomous in our work.
The mission of the Association Apostolat des Pauvres
Our association’s mission is the professional and social reintegration of street children and abandoned children. She told us. Our project is to build a vocational training center for these children, while instilling in them moral and social values. We also plan to build a school complex for abandoned children, to relieve overcrowding in our orphanages and enable these children to go to school. These two infrastructures will welcome any child who aspires to our values.
Some achievements of the Association Apostolat des Pauvres
We were able to obtain our receipt for the creation of the association, we help orphans with their schooling by paying for their studies, we help widows in difficult situations, during our field trips to meet street children, we offer them a meal and talk with them. We have just organized a concert called “Concert pour donner un sourire aux enfants démunis” on April 1, 2024.
Presenting gifts to a group of children after the concert
The concert was a great success, because we achieved our primary objective of bringing a smile to the faces of underprivileged children and helping them have an unforgettable day. Of course, there are a few aspects to be perfected for future occasions, such as: getting more partners to make the event more successful Bringing more donations (clothes, soaps and food) to these children and enabling many other artists to contribute to the activity.
The president of the Association Apostolat des Pauvres concluded our interview with a wish
I hope that in a few years’ time, our cities will be free of street children, and that those who live there today will find their way to a better future, and in so doing, combat terrorism and organized crime.
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- Bernard Minani