Ouagadougou:The Africulture Association has inaugurated the second session of the Heroes' Workshops at the General Aboubacar Sangoulé Lamizana camp, offering artistic training to 30 wounded members of the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), to aid in their personal reconstruction and bolster their resilience.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the initiative, which was launched on Friday, focuses on using art as a medium for expression and healing. Colonel-Major Soyo Palé, representing the Minister of War and Patriotic Defense, emphasized that art provides a platform for soldiers to rebuild when words fall short and memories are painful. He acknowledged the ongoing value these soldiers bring to their country, even if they cannot return to the front lines.

The president of the Africulture Association, Warrant Officer Wendyam Abdoul Rasmané Ouédraogo, also known as Owar, highlighted the program's intention to transform painful experiences into meaningful art, helping participants rediscover their creativity. He clarified that while art cannot replace medical or psychological care, it plays a significant role in the healing process.

Flora Nabalum, the association's communications officer, explained that the program includes training in visual arts and introduces new disciplines such as recycling art and pyrography. These activities encourage creativity and provide an alternative means of expression for the participants.

The workshops, themed "Beyond the scars paths of resilience and reconstruction for our heroes," run from October 23 to December 30, 2026, in Ouagadougou, and continue in Bobo-Dioulasso from January 22 to March 30, 2027. Through these sessions, the program aims to offer a framework for artistic expression, allowing wounded soldiers to express their emotions and share their experiences.