In Burkina Faso, many young girls, whether they have already dropped out of school or have never been to school, are often forced to do household chores or work to help their families. The SCOLFILLE programme, set up by Action Education in collaboration with the L'Occitane Foundation, offers them accelerated training and a chance to reintegrate into the mainstream education system.

Suzanne Kalai's schooling was interrupted because her parents were unable to pay the school fees. Originally from Bozo, a village in the Centre-West region of Burkina Faso, she was enrolled in a state primary school, but only got as far as CE1. "I had to leave the school because my father told me he couldn't pay the school fees", says Suzanne. After this break, she devoted herself to housework alongside her mother. "At the time, I used to help her wash dishes, fetch water, cook and wash clothes", she says. In search of better economic opportunities, her mother moved to Ghana, taking Suzanne with her. There, she started selling food. "In 2021, I went to Ghana to help my mother with her food business. I came back at the end of the year, just as the SCOLFILLE centre was opening its doors," explains Suzanne. Her father, aware of the programme, decided to enrol her in the centre. "It was my father who encouraged me to enrol at the centre, because there are no fees to pay. I'm really happy to be able to go back to school. At the last assessment, I came third in my class. My dream is to become a teacher and help other children," concludes Suzanne.

School, an essential key to escaping poverty

Like Suzanne, thousands of girls in Burkina Faso do not go to school, mainly because of poverty, early marriage and gender prejudice. Without access to education, these girls are often condemned to remain in a circle of poverty, working as family help or undergoing forced labour. Girls who have dropped out of school are more vulnerable to perpetuating cycles of poverty.

The SCOLFILLE (Soutien à la Scolarisation des Filles) programme, implemented by Action Education, is being rolled out in the Ziro and Sissili provinces of Burkina Faso. This programme offers young girls accelerated education, enabling them to catch up on their schooling before joining the traditional school curriculum. The courses focus on basic subjects such as reading and mathematics, while helping to develop the participants' self-confidence. School fees are covered and school meals are provided. At the same time, awareness campaigns are run among families and local authorities to improve the perception of girls' education. Thanks to the growing involvement of the communities, acceptance of and support for girls' education are becoming increasingly strong, contributing to a gradual change in attitudes.