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February 17, 2005

A day out with Victor

The latest round of WFP grain aid has started to arrive in Oudalan, the province worst affected by this year's drought and locust plague. I spent the day yesterday with Victor Ouedraogo (head of education in Oudalan), visiting schools in the bush which are benefitting from this aid. Overall it was an encouraging experience; I saw hundreds of children who are now being fed one meal a day in the WFP canteen project - and for some of them this is the only meal they get. The aid is not sufficient but it is significant. Photos etc to follow, when I get back to Djibo. Thanks again to all who contributed.

One of the schools we visited (Barbare) had not yet received any food and there was some confusion over why this was so. The lorry was supposed to pass by there yesterday on the way up to the border with Mali. Victor was surprised but assured me it was only a glitch - the drivers had probably changed their itinerary. We will stay in touch over this until the aid arrives there. The headmaster there is someone I know from Boukouma - his class had prepared a song with which to greet me - an army marching song in French which went as follows:

Ca ne va pas
Ca ne va pas
Pourquoi ca ne va pas?
Parce ce que je suis fatiguee
Je suis venu pour creuser
Je suis venu pour gruiller
Je suis venu pour travailler
Et je suis fatiguee
Ca ne va pas du tout.

All in all a fairly depressing song, and in the circumstances an appropriate one too. I will let you know when the kids at Barbare get their food aid.

Posted by sahelsteve at February 17, 2005 05:43 PM