Kourweogo: The consortium formed by the Association for the Integrated Development of Youth of Burkina Faso (ADIJBF) and the Coordination of Volunteers of D©dougou (CVD) concluded a training workshop on the Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach, focusing on accelerating sustainable access to sanitation in the province.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the workshop took place from July 28 to August 1, 2025, at the ADIJBF headquarters in Bouss©. It brought together animators, facilitators, and supervisors recruited for the project's implementation, which targets 80 villages and 25 schools in Kourw©ogo with the technical and financial backing of UNICEF.
Project coordinator Adama Sana provided insights into the region's sanitation challenges, revealing that only 27.5% of households had access to improved sanitation services in 2022. The municipalities of Bouss©, Niou, To©ghin, and Sourgoubila were noted for their critical sanitation situations, exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure and harmful practices like open defecation and uncontrolled sludge disposal.
The workshop highlighted alarming statistics concerning sanitation in schools, where over 12% lack latrines, 30.9% have unusable facilities, and menstrual hygiene management is insufficient, impacting girls' attendance and participation. Furthermore, many schools are ill-equipped for students with disabilities.
Participants were trained over five days in community-led and school-led sanitation approaches, aiming to enhance their capacities in managing, monitoring, and evaluating sanitation activities in line with national standards. Training was led by Anissatou Sawadogo and Anabelle Palenfo from the General Directorate of Wastewater and Excreta Sanitation, utilizing practical tools like metrological guides and monitoring sheets.
The workshop ended with a practical session in Ritigu¨-palogo village, followed by the formulation of a post-training action plan. UNICEF representative Salif Sawadogo commended the collaborative efforts of the consortium, emphasizing support for the State's goals for universal sanitation access. Michel Ou©draogo, president of ADIJBF, encouraged participants to work towards eradicating open defecation by 2026 through community mobilization.