It’s been almost one year since the latest coup in Burkina Faso overthrew Interim President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba on September 30, 2022. Violence in the country has escalated over the last year with Islamist groups, state militias, and security forces attacking each other and civilians. This has led to the closure of roughly one-quarter of the nation’s schools.
Greg Yoder with Christian World Outreach (CWO) says, “In Burkina with all that’s going on as far as different villages being attacked and things like that, it’s not safe for the kids to go to school. So we know they are closing.”
CWO is determined to keep their Village of Opportunity open in Burkina Faso, offering vocational training to female students.
“We teach sewing, cosmetology, and we started culinary classes. Actually, [we are] in the middle of a building project to build a kitchen classroom so we can even reach more young ladies.”
All the education is in a Gospel context, helping students grow in their faith or learn about Christ.
The next school session starts in October, and CWO is raising funds to build an activity center at the Village of Opportunity.
“What that would be is a place where we can have activities for our own young ladies at the Village of Opportunity,” says Yoder. “But [we could] also rent it out, which would raise some funds in-country to help the school become a little more self-sustaining.”
Your gift to CWO goes a long way for educational ministry in Burkina Faso. Support CWO’s Burkina Faso ministry here!
Yoder says, “We’re just excited about what’s going on in Burkina and how God is working in spite of the issues that are going on with the government and with the insecurity there.”