The Zak La Yilguemdé Association (AZLY) commemorated the 33rd Day of the African Child on Friday by organizing several activities to raise awareness among children and adults on the issue of education, the dangers of misusing the internet and screening for sickle cell disease.

Zoundwéogo, like the other provinces of Burkina Faso and African countries, commemorated, on Friday, the Day of the African Child (JEA) in memory of the children killed on June 16, 1976 in Soweto, South Africa, while that they claimed their right to a quality education.

A popular cross, a public conference and poems and sketches constituted the main activities carried out, for this purpose, by the Zak La Yilguemdé Association through its program “At school for all” supported by its Dutch partner Kinderpostzegels .

All the activities were forums to raise awareness around the local theme of JEA 2023, namely “Zero sickle cell disease and the rights of the child in the digital environment”.

Poems were presented by the children to sensitize the participants on their rights.

The children’s representative, Ilboudo Albert, recalled on the platform during the official ceremony that insecurity and its corollary of humanitarian and food crises are now putting a strain on the rights of children in Burkina Faso. To this is added, he added, the misuse of the Internet by young people, little or not aware of the dangers, which expose them to various violations of their rights and consequences such as intimidation, harassment sex, and cybercrime.

To fight against the phenomenon, Ilboudo Albert appeals to the common sense and responsibility of both children and parents.

“Much more than a day of commitment for us children to a rational use of the internet and screens, it is a day of questioning and empowerment of our parents in the face of the facilities offered by digital technology”, insisted the children’s spokesperson.

The children’s spokesperson, Ilboudo Albert, urged his comrades to use the internet responsibly.

The executive secretary of AZLY, Aimée Yaméogo, also drew the attention of parents, reminding them of their responsibility in the choice of education for children. She also invited them to “reflect for a better participation of the child in his education”.

In partnership with AZLY for the organization of the commemoration of the 33rd edition of the JEA, the health district of Manga and the Initiative Committee against sickle cell disease in Burkina (CID/B) carried out a screening campaign and provided advice for the adequate management of sickle cell disease, an inherited genetic disease that harms health and well-being when it is not diagnosed early for consistent management, suggested the officials of the said structures.

The representative of the High Commissioner of Zoundwéogo, Julien Ouédraogo and the Provincial Director of National Solidarity and Humanitarian Action, National Reconciliation, Gender and the Family of Zoundwéogo, Noëlle Doulkom, positively appreciated the initiative of AZLY and its partners. “The child is the future and in this sense the commemoration of the Day of the African Child through these awareness-raising activities is a very good thing”, supported the provincial director in charge of Gender and Family. from Zoundweogo, Noelle Doulkom.

Source: Burkina Information Agency