PRAXITY PAYS TEACHERS’ SALARIES IN BURKINA FASO, WEST AFRICA

Praxity – the world’s largest Alliance of independent accountancy firms – has donated €3000 to the charity Aide à l’Enfance Démunie (Help Children in Need) to pay a year’s salary for one full-time and two part-time teachers in the West African country of Burkina Faso. 

The charity was set up 10 years ago by Arnaud Debray from Axe Conseils Expertise, a Praxity member based in Normandy, France.  Aide à l’Enfance Démunie (AED) helps around 500 children, many orphans, in the poverty-stricken region of Sâaba providing educational, health-related, financial and social support mechanisms.

Arnaud (second left) with the team and the local school which uses the AED library

Based in the city of Ouagadougou, AED has a library within what is known as a safe ‘district house’ which it shares with a local school; here children can access over 1000 books, play, read or study and use the running water, showers and toilets, Monday to Saturday.

The Charity offers scholarships, brings education, activities and resources into the homes of young children who are unable to attend schools, facilitates cultural, sport, games and entertainment events, provides practical healthcare solutions and food distribution services and even donates bicycles to families to enable them to reach markets and water points.  Volunteers support the work of the three salaried-staff.

Arnaud is very ‘hands-on’ with his not-for-profit organisation, travelling to Burkina Faso around five times a year.

He comments: “These children face hard conditions every day – they have little food, no light, clean water, furniture or even a home. Many do not attend school because they cannot afford the expenses and school fees so we try to offer a range of activities that will make their lives a little more enjoyable.

“The practical support we give can make a huge difference and help break the poverty cycle.  One little girl, Nadia, came from a very poor family so we paid her schooling for 10 years.  She has just completed her first year of studying medicine at Ouagadougou University which makes us very proud.”

Praxity Executive Director, Graeme Gordon, agrees: “It’s great to know our donation will make such a difference.  Having paid the teachers’ salaries, we’ve freed up money that would have been allocated for this vital resource to be used elsewhere.  And our commitment will be continuous, enabling AED to build upon its superb work.”

 To find out more, visit www.aedburkina.org  If you’d like to get involved or make a donation, contact Arnaud Debray atarnaud.debray@axeconseils.com or call +0033 6 80 06 40 36.  Alternatively, contact Graeme Gordon at GGordon@praxity.com or call 01372 738190.

To find out more about Praxity, visit www.praxity.com