'Ralf Zacherl' School - Equipping a school for underprivileged children

Until 2007, there was no primary school in the village of Taonsgho. About 850 children (between 5 and 15 years of age) lived in Taonsgho, but only about 200 were attending school. These children had to walk many kilometres to reach the overcrowded school in one of the neighbouring villages. Now it is possible for the children of Taonsgho to go to their own school in their own village.

With the support of the German celebrity television Chef Ralf Zacherl through the UNESCO Foundation – Education for Children in Need, HOPE’87 and the local population of Taonsgho joined hands in 2008 and built a school, equipped with a canteen, in order to secure basic education, a regular meal for those coming from further away as well as school dinners for the youngest. The school is named after its sponsor “Ecole Ralf Zacherl Taonsgho” and opened its doors on October 1st, 2008. 300 children are now attending the school and are served food from the attached canteen, which is managed by the “Association of Educated Women” and the “Parents Association”. Quality and quantity of nutrition for the pupils during schooling hours was effectively secured and the conditions for a successful school attendance given. In 2009, a teacher’s accommodation and a well to secure the provision of water for the attached vegetable garden was implemented. Besides the construction of a fourth classroom for students, the project assures adequate nutrition in the school canteen. The Parents and Mothers’ Educational Association and the team of teachers contributed greatly to the success of the school canteen in the “Ralf Zacherl” school of Taonsgho.

Project Background: 

The intervention strategy of HOPE’87 Burkina Faso is to strengthen the capacity of rural young people in the specific context of poverty reduction and employment generation. To this end, the most important activities of the Country Office comprise supporting education of children up to 15 years of age, vocational training for young adults from rural areas, teaching of young people in literacy skills, support for women through income generating activities and the realization of numerous micro-infrastructures such as strengthening of basic educational infrastructures.