2018
Burkina Faso
In the summer of 2018, a team of 6 volunteers led a humanitarian expedition to the West African country of Burkina Faso. During their time abroad, the team engaged in a variety of services with the sole intention of offering the slightest bit of ease in the lives of thousands of Burkinabe. The link below offers access to a short documentary of the team's experiences in Burkina Faso.
Background
Following a long conversation with two friends who came from Burkina Faso, Sami Kandil and Mehmet Esat Kilinc were touched by the upsetting conditions in the beautiful country of Burkina Faso. Home to the stunning Sindou Peaks and the Tengrela Lakes, Burkina Faso is, indeed, a country of natural beauty. However, due to poor socioeconomic conditions, the Burkinabe people live a difficult life.
Burkina Faso is a poverty-stricken country that depends on adequate rainfall for survival. The living standards in this country are very low, in which life expectancy, education, and income per capita are scaling the ground. With $1,800 as the GDP per capita, the West African country is ranked as the 20th poorest country by the CIA. With a life expectancy of 55.5 years on average, the country is ranked 15th lowest. With a literacy rate of 28.7%, Burkina Faso is ranked the 3rd lowest. In this West African country, 8.4 million people do not have access to clean water, 14 million do not have access to a decent toilet, over 4000 children die annually due to these poor water and sanitation conditions. As a result of all these factors, Burkina Faso has ranked the 4th lowest country in terms of potential human development.
After learning about the harsh conditions that the people of Burkina Faso have to undergo, Blossom Together decided to organize and lead an expedition to this country with hopes of doing their part in easing their struggle.
Water Wells
In Burkina Faso, our first goal was to open three water wells, for which we had raised nearly $10,000 to accomplish. The wells were constructed in the communes of Sapone, Koudougou, and Dedougou. These wells are expected to remain fully functioning for decades to come, offering the relief of life itself to the daily lives of thousands of Burkinabe.
School Supplies & Uniforms
In partnership with the World Bank, we supplied the entire village school of Sapone with top-bottom school uniforms and supplies. We sent out surveys before our arrival in order to identify the poorest of the schools in the country, learning the demographics, financial status, and needs of each school. In the end, we sponsored 268 students with uniforms and supplies.
Food Packages
We purchased, prepared, and distributed 150 food packages during our time in Burkina Faso. We worked long, hard hours the night before the distribution, filling bags with rice, sugar, oil, pasta, tomato paste, and traditional macaroni. Though we slept that night with sticky hands and sore muscles, the feeling of fulfillment that came the following day was one undoubtedly worthy of our hard work.
Candy & Stuffed Animals
Our final service was the gifting of hundreds of candy and stuffed animals to the children of Burkina Faso as they worked on the fields, played in the villages, or strolled down the streets. The sincere joy and happiness that the Burkinabe reflected from their smiles and laughter were answered by those of ours, which arose from the fulfillment and satisfaction that the entire experience offered us.
Activities
Upon completion of all the tasks, the team took two days to travel around notable sites in the West African country, appreciating and praising the purity in the beauty of Burkina Faso. We fed crocodiles in the wild, drove up the Sindou Peaks on ATV's, and scaled the waterfalls of Cascades de Karfiguela on feet. The opportunity to travel in addition to serve during our expedition proved to be very entertaining and worthy of the long hours on foot. The country was beautiful not only through its people but also through its natural landscapes and sceneries.
