16-02-2024 | di COOPI

SAHEL: child protection thanks to education

In Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, 7 million children are in need of humanitarian aid due to an alarming security crisis. Currently, 8,856 schools are closed, and 1.66 million children do not have access to education.

The project "Rapid and Continuous Integrated Response in Education, Child Protection and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for children in emergency situations in the Sahel" funded by ECHO (European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations), is being implemented bu COOPI-Cooperazione Internazionale in collaboration with Save The Children and a range of local and international partners to improve access to quality education for children affected by the crises in the region.

The second phase of the project was launched in July this year, will run for four years, and will target 242,933 direct beneficiaries during the first year in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali. The goal of the action is to enhance the resilience, well-being, and learning of children through an integrated approach in the fields of emergency education, child protection, mental health, and psychosocial support. Additionally, the involved organizations are implementing various projects aimed at reducing risks, developing emergency plans, supporting the reopening of schools, and implementing protection measures.

Specifically, COOPI aims to reduce barriers to education by facilitating access to the formal education system and providing protection and psychosocial support. COOPI's commitment in Niger since 2012 to respond to the basic needs of communities affected by the violence of the Non State Armed Groups has allowed them to gain a deep understanding of the regional context, enabling effective action to promote access to quality education.