From Displaced to Top of the Class: Adjara's Inspiring Journey

Adjara's broad, face-filling smile was revealed when she was presented with the school kit. The 11-year-old couldn't hide her happiness. She finally realized she now had everything she needed to start the school year.

"I received a kit containing notebooks, pens, geometry materials, and a pack of pencils. I'm very happy with UNICEF," she said.

At her young age, Adjara had already survived unbearable days. She was only eight years old when her father was killed in an armed attack on her home village of Bladi, southwest of Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou. She and her three siblings travelled 20 kilometres to reach Dédougou where her paternal uncle lives.

“In 2023, I took in seven children: three of my older brother's children and four of my younger sister's. We often don't have enough to eat. Sometimes you go out in the morning and come back at 8 p.m., and if you find out children haven’t eaten all day, you have to go out again. It's not easy, but the Ministry of Humanitarian Action helps us with bags of rice,” says Oumarou Sidibé, Adjara's uncle.

According to figures from March 2023, more than 2 million people are displaced in Burkina Faso, over 50% of whom are children. The commune of Dédougou hosted more than 22,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), and children's needs are huge. In addition to the need for food, Sidibé must find a place in one of the city’s primary schools for Adjara and the other children.

“When Adjara arrived, I went to Camp A school, there was no room. I went to Mondassou A school, and the principal told me there was no room. I told him to wipe away my tears. I had four children to accommodate. Finally, she was accepted into a class of 128 students,” recalls Sidibé.

Now, Uncle Sidibé needs to find school supplies. So, the kit Adjara received at school is a relief for him as he is already overwhelmed by expenses at the start of the school year. “When she showed me the school kit, it was a sigh of relief. I have to pay for school kits for eight children. Just last night, I spent more than 42,000 CFA (about $75) for her older sisters, left alone her younger brothers”.

The security crisis has severely impacted education in Burkina Faso. In 2025, UNICEF distributed 123,000 school kits to displaced and vulnerable children in nine regions most affected by security challenges in Burkina Faso, thanks to funding from Education Cannot Wait, and other important donors.

"As part of the back-to-school campaign, UNICEF is supporting the Ministry by distributing school kits, raising awareness in communities about the need for children to return to school, and, above all, bringing smiles on the faces of children who are struggling in emergency areas," emphasizes Edmondine Rakotoherisoa, UNICEF Education Specialist.

As a displaced child, Adjara graduated top of her class last year. This year, with the support UNICEF has provided for her to continue her education, she will be able to bag her first diploma, her primary school leaving certificate. Because Adjara already has a cherished dream in mind and is making every effort at her young age to achieve it.

"I want to become a teacher to help children read and write. When I go to class, I follow at the board and listen carefully to what the teacher says. When I get home, I greet Mom and Dad, and I take my notebooks to learn my lessons."

In 2024, more than 635,000 children, including 255,000 girls, have benefited from emergency education activities in Burkina Faso. More than 196,000 children, including 43 percent girls in preschool, primary and post-primary education, have received school kits and 167,000, including 87,000 school-age girls, have been enrolled in Quality Child-Friendly Schools (EQAmE) to improve children's access to and retention in school.

To help children like Adjara achieve their dreams, UNICEF needs assistance in Burkina Faso. The crisis is growing; needs are increasing while resources are dwindling. Thousands of children are affected, and their rights to education, protection, and health are being violated. Holistic and consistent care is necessary to enable children to overcome the emergency and aspire to a brighter future.