School kits bring hope to children living with disabilities in western Burkina Faso

Soumaïla, 13, blind since birth, diligently follows his lessons in Braille. The third grade student at Centre A School in Banfora, western Burkina Faso, received a backpack as part of the Back to School campaign — a present that means much more than just a school bag.

“The bag I’ve received helps me a lot. I can carry my notebooks and books more easily,” he says.

Soumaïla, a determined student despite his disability

Before, Soumaïla used plastic bags to keep his belongings. Today, he has a real school bag like his classmates — something that strengthens his confidence and sense of inclusion.

According to his teacher, Soumaïla is a curious, attentive, and passionate student, and his classmates help him to understand the lessons. At Centre A School in Banfora, some students have been designated as “tutors” to support children with visual impairments. Every day, Djeneba, Soumaïla’s tutor, sits beside him to assist him during classes. During the break and guided by his tutor, Soumaïla takes part in games with his friends.

This atmosphere of solidarity makes of his school a true model of inclusion.

Gaoussou, a Future Teacher

Nearby, Gaoussou, 15, who is also visually impaired, is orphaned of his father and lives far from his mother. A fifth-grade student, he shares the same passion for school as Soumaïla and is happy to receive a brand-new school kit made up of notebooks, pens, a slate, and geometry materials.

“Last year, I already received a kit. It helped me to keep going. This year again, I’m happy to have everything I need to work well,” he says proudly.

Because of his disability, Gaoussou fell three years behind in his education, but he is already catching up thanks to his love of learning. The teenager enjoys grammar and dreams of becoming a teacher: “I would like to explain lessons the way my teacher does for us.”

Committed teachers for inclusion

To meet the specific needs of children living with disabilities, teachers have been trained in inclusive education.

“Teaching a visually impaired child requires patience and method. Thanks to the training we received, we know better how to support them,” says Mrs. Koné Mariam, Gaoussou’s teacher.

She adds that the school bags distributed during the Back-to-school campaign, help students like Gaoussou carry their supplies more easily.

“Braille notebooks are heavy and bulky. With his UNICEF backpack, he can carry them more easily. It makes a big difference,” she explains.

The Souleymane Koné Center, a safe haven for Gaoussou and Soumaïla

Souleymane Koné has devoted his life to helping children with disabilities. Visually impaired himself, he founded this center in 2002 to provide a safe and educational environment for them.

“I established this center because there was nothing here for blind or visually impaired children. Something had to be done,” he explains.

The center collaborates with the local municipality and community associations to identify vulnerable children and provide them with adapted schooling. Every year, more than 30 children benefit from the center’s listening, housing, and educational support. Mr. Koné welcomed both Gaoussou and Soumaïla.

“When I met Gaoussou, he had no one to take care of him. I took him in, so he could go to school and have a future.”

A well-organized distribution

In Banfora, in the Tannounyan region, the 2025 school year began with a special significance for hundreds of vulnerable children. The Ministry of Basic Education and UNICEF distributed school kits to children to help them learn under better conditions, thanks to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s support.

Through its decentralized services, the Ministry supevises the distribution. In Banfora, the beneficiary schools were selected after careful identification work.

“We received 246 kits for primary schools, giving priority to children with visual impairments and the most vulnerable. These supplies are a great relief for families and a motivating factor for the children,” says Inspector Soma Fatogoma, head of the Banfora 2 Inclusion Office, who coordinates the operations on the ground.

Tangible and lasting results

For the 2025 school year, 123,000 school kits will be distributed across Burkina Faso, and eight new secondary schools will open, including three with technical programs in civil engineering, electricity, and automotive mechanics.

Behind every school kit handed out lies a promise: the future of all possible.

Because a simple bag can change a life, UNICEF, JICA, and their partners are working to ensure that all children, without exception, have access to education.