Ouagadougou: Trainees from the Institute of Information and Communication Sciences and Technologies (ISTIC) delivered food and non-food items to residents of the Association of Young People for the Promotion of Orphans (AJPO) in Ouagadougou. This humanitarian action was part of their Week of Civic Engagement and Solidarity, held from April 6 to 11, 2026.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the donation, consisting of clothing, shoes, and food kits including rice, spaghetti, oil, and soap, aims to provide support to vulnerable children followed by the association. Claver Manzaba, the student representative at ISTIC, noted that the initiative mobilized all the students at the institute, raising an estimated 140,000 CFA francs. This sum, though symbolic, reflects the students' desire to show solidarity with their fellow students facing hardship.
Manzaba encouraged vocational schools and universities across the country to engage in similar initiatives to foster a network of mutual support. "Civic engagement begins where we are and with the resources available to each individual," he stated.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, AJPO's Executive Director, Larba Ouedraogo, praised the solidarity shown by the ISTIC trainees. He highlighted that his institution supports over 1,000 orphans and vulnerable children and emphasized that "no gesture is too small when it comes to supporting people in need." Ouedraogo mentioned that these donations would be combined with other support to create equitable packages for the children's families.
Faced with challenges in covering school fees and medical care for the children, Ouedraogo called for "local sponsorship," a system enabling well-intentioned Burkinab¨ to take responsibility for the children's education, healthcare, or food according to their means. He urged media professionals to promote this plea to encourage national mobilization for the children's better future.
The Week of Civic Engagement and Solidarity of ISTIC trainees took place within the framework of the Days of Patriotic Engagement and Civic Participation, established in 2024 by the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore.