Category Archives: Actualités

Marie Benketaf: Hello, can you introduce yourself and the context of this action?

Tobias Gbaguidi: Hello, I’m Tobias Gbaguidi, Programmes Unit Manager at RACINES, PARTAGE’s partner in Benin. This project is part of our three-year plan PRiED 2023-2025 (Programme Intégré d’Education) supported by PARTAGE.
With the aim of contributing to quality education in the Collines department, RACINES has, for several years now, had a policy of providing health care for the children of partner schools in Savalou and Bantè, our area of intervention. We have initiated a mobile medical consultation to treat children suffering from eye problems.

Marie Benketaf: Can you tell us how this activity came about?

Tobias Gbaguidi: There were three stages.

The first was to identify the children likely to benefit from monitoring, which was done by the directors and their deputies under the supervision of the management team, who validated and authorised the initiative. The result is significant: 117 children in our partner schools suffer from eye pain!

The second stage involved more in-depth analysis. Suspected’ cases were confirmed by means of a more detailed, complementary examination. A follow-up table was drawn up, showing the identity of each child, his or her school and class, and listing the suspicions and then the confirmation following diagnosis.
The in-depth examination identified 50 children with very high needs.

Thirdly, we organised an appointment for each child with a specialist ophthalmologist. A more precise diagnosis was then made for each child, indicating the remedies required: glasses, ophthalmological treatment and sometimes additional examinations in the capital (Cotonou).

Finally, we were able to assist the families according to the needs identified. For the most minor cases, medicines were made available quickly and distributed to the parents. 11 children were fitted with corrective lenses at the start of the 2024 school year, enabling them to read more easily in class. Finally, for children who needed further tests, RACINES also took care of them, much to the delight of the children and their parents.

Marie Benketaf: What advice can you give to PARTAGE RISE network partners who would like to set up an activity of this kind?

Tobias Gbaguidi: It’s important to think ahead, as RACINES has just done. This helps to avoid a worsening of the children’s health situation, in a context where their parents are financially unable to pay for routine consultations or annual health check-ups.

Interview by Marie BENKETAF, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager

November 20 marks an important anniversary: all the partner members of the PARTAGE RISE network are celebrating the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This year, the CRC celebrated its 35th birthday. And like every year, you, the network’s partners in the field, committed to defending children against all forms of abuse, have responded to our call for a joint event: ‘The Great Gallery of Children’s Rights’.

Following a survey carried out last summer, it was the creation of a large gallery of rights that was voted for. The concept is quite simple and allows children to participate freely: on a sheet of paper, each child illustrates the right that seems most important to him or her. The idea is not to perform or compete, but to give free rein to their creativity and artistic expression. Children are so gifted. They have a lot to say when adults give them space!

You supported the children by providing them with materials and, of course, by staging an exhibition in the places where they live: playgrounds, social centres and village squares. The gallery was often a pretext for discussing rights. Because parents, teachers, all educators and the community in general have a role to play. Children know how to remind them. This exhibition makes them visible and puts them at the centre of adults’ attention. A first step towards promoting their rights!

This large gallery has woven an imaginary thread of drawings that has travelled around the world: from Haiti to Honduras, from Ecuador to Brazil, via Burkina Faso, Benin, Madagascar and the Comoros in Africa, not forgetting a diversion through Romania, Egypt, Lebanon and Palestine, before moving on to Asia and Nepal, India and Thailand. These works of art, more than mere creations, are voices of hope and a vision of a better future, calling on elders and leaders to ensure that the rights of every child are celebrated and protected.

Well done to the children for their talent and courage. When the beauty of the drawings meets the ugliness of the bombs, art carries such a powerful message… and reminds adults that children must not be abandoned, especially those growing up in the midst of war and violence, in Lebanon, Haiti, Burkina Faso or Palestine.

Thank you to the adults who support them and guide them along the path of rights, for their unfailing commitment on a daily basis, whatever the cost.

Marie BENKETAF, Head of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

On 6 November 2024, the ASOS office in Tuléar was the scene of a decisive workshop bringing together PARTAGE’s partners in Madagascar: BEL AVENIR, ASOS and VAHATRA (via Teams).

The main aims of the event were to:

• create a space for exchanges between partners with a certain geographical proximity, by promoting better knowledge of their activities and expertise and strengthening their links,
• identify and share best practice, and to discuss the challenges and opportunities of working in synergy.

The discussions were rich and constructive, highlighting the strengths of each organisation and the aspects highlighted by the other participants. The workshop highlighted the innovative approaches and specific expertise of each partner. VAHATRA, for example, was praised for its approach to personalised social support and its commitment to strengthening the dynamic with local players. BEL AVENIR demonstrated significant expertise in child protection, school follow-up and extra-curricular activities. ASOS highlighted the effectiveness of its community-based approach through its health projects.

They all showed a great openness to exchanging experiences on major themes such as child protection, socio-cultural activities and strengthening health systems.

The results of this workshop are promising and will lead to the programming of field visits between partners. Contacts were exchanged with a view to developing future collaborations and joint initiatives based on best practice, so that together we can overcome current and future challenges.

This workshop was a success in that it marked a decisive turning point, decompartmentalising strategic thinking, bringing out new ideas and strengthening links between organisations.

Livah RABEARISON, Indian Ocean Regional Coordinator

San Juan

Our Ecuadorian partner, San Juan de Jerusalen, received national television coverage to celebrate Ecuadorian Children’s Day on 1 June. It was an opportunity to present their association and the activities carried out with children with special needs to the general public, and to raise awareness of the right to education for all.

INEPE

Our partner INEPE, in association with several other child protection organisations and networks, has produced a report entitled : ‘There is nothing to celebrate on Children’s Day’ – An alternative report on Ecuador’s compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Adolescent 2024.  This report reports on the exchanges with 560 children and adolescents aged 4 to 17. It is an opportunity for them to express their views on the situation of children and adolescents and to tell more on their recommendations made to the Ecuadorian government to guarantee their rights (report available in spanish).

As you already know, between September 2021 and February 2023, PARTAGE carried out a capitalization project on distance education, highlighting the innovative initiatives deployed by the players in the PARTAGE RISE network. A tool sheet on the theme of mobile libraries and the promotion of reading for pleasure was produced as part of the project.

In January 2023, a PARTAGE field mission to Benin provided an opportunity to discuss the reading support strategies implemented in the Collines department, the partner RACINES‘ area of intervention, and to present the main recommendations arising from the capitalisation work on reading pleasure. A few weeks later, in February 2023, RACINES attended the presentation of the tool sheet and reaffirmed its wish to strengthen its approach through the technical input of one of the NGOs with recognised experience in the field: the partner association MAEECHA, based in the Comoros.

This laid the foundations for future collaboration. Reading, the cornerstone of school learning, is often poorly mastered by pupils in the contexts in which our partners operate. Improving children’s reading skills is therefore a major challenge for improving the quality of teaching and giving meaning to learning. That’s why the exchange visit between RACINES, our partner in Benin, and the NGO MAEECHA, based in the Comoros, made so much sense.

After several months of preparation – logistical organisation and preparation of the programme of visits – a delegation of two representatives of the NGO RACINES, Mr Tobias GBAGUIDI, Head of the Programme Unit and Mr Vital AMOUSSOU, Assistant Fundamental Education and Educational Alternatives, visited the Nyumakele region, MAEECHA’s intervention zone in the Comoros, in November 2023 for 5 days. During this visit, the exchanges were rich and fruitful. Tobias and Vital had the opportunity to explore in depth the initiatives implemented by MAEECHA to promote reading for pleasure, and to learn how the mobile library and activities in the C2Ls (Reading and Leisure Centres) work. The meeting enabled the two organisations to share their experiences, their successes and the challenges facing each structure in their respective contexts.

On their return, the Beninese delegation and the Comorian hosts produced an evaluation sheet of the visit. Among the main lessons learnt, RACINES noted the importance of involving young people in reading activities, the need to mobilise more tools to attract children to the activities, and the importance of documenting and equipping each stage of a reading activity to ensure greater ownership by those involved in the field.

This visit between two of our partners demonstrates the importance of collaboration within the PARTAGE RISE network. It also illustrates the ability of our partners to inspire each other and create synergies to strengthen their impact. Beyond geographical borders, these meetings bear witness to a shared commitment to education for all.

A report on this exchange visit and its lessons learned will be available shortly!

Resource : @Distance: Educational Issues

On 12 April, International Day of Street Children, PARTAGE Rise would like to highlight two of its members who are working tirelessly to help children and young people living on the streets.

KEOOGO’s work with street children in Burkina Faso

The lives of children and young people who end up on the streets of Ouagadougou are varied. The reasons why they end up on the streets can be economic, with families in difficult circumstances pushing their children to seek an income, or socio-cultural, with child beggars, or “talibés”, begging for alms on behalf of unscrupulous marabouts, or young girls who are victims of forced marriage or gender-based violence. These factors are compounded by a worsening political and social context in the country, with insecurity and violence in the north driving some children and young people to flee to Ouagadougou in search of safety.

For many Burkinabè, these marginalised children and young people arouse fear and mistrust. They are often seen as troublemakers, without anyone fully realising that their rights are being violated. It is therefore essential to change the way society, both the general public and political decision-makers, view these children and young people in highly vulnerable situations.

Founded in 2004 by three former employees of Médecins Sans Frontières, KEOOGO provides support and guidance to children and young people excluded from the care system, offering them a chance to leave the streets for good and build a better future for themselves.

By going out to meet children and young people rather than waiting for them to turn to the association, KEOOGO adopts a proactive approach. They organise day and night patrols, relying on peer educators, former street youths who have been reintegrated, who know the area well and can establish a relationship of trust with them. Once this relationship has been established, KEOOGO offers a range of modules to enable them to play an active role in the decisions that affect them. Together with the team on the ground, each child determines his or her own reintegration objectives, and together they draw up a plan to achieve the desired stability and autonomy. The association does not work for children and young people, but with them.

Resource available :

Supporting children and young people living on the streets (French version only)

VOICE OF CHILDREN (VOC) child protection initiatives in Nepal

Since its creation in 2000, the organisation has played an essential role in helping children and young people living on the streets. By offering temporary reception centres, VOC provides them with a safe haven where they can receive medical care, psychological support and basic education. Working with local authorities, families, schools and communities, VOC raises awareness, prevents and intervenes in cases of violence against children and young people. Support and rehabilitation services are also offered to abused and neglected children and young people.

VOC relies on its Child Protection Charter to guide its actions and guarantee the safety of every child and young person taking part in its programmes. An effective warning system is in place, including a message box that allows them to confidentially report abuse, violations of their rights or dangerous situations. These messages are read by a trained person from outside the centre, in the presence of the elected chair of the Children’s Committee.

VOC makes children and young people aware of their rights and teaches them what is acceptable and unacceptable in terms of behaviour and treatment. The association encourages them to develop self-protection skills, to identify dangerous situations, to set personal limits and to ask for help if they need it. The participation of children and young people in decision-making involves their contribution to the design of activities, the identification of problems and the search for solutions adapted to their reality. VOC also encourages the creation of peer support networks among former centre beneficiaries, thereby strengthening their resilience in the face of the challenges they encounter.

Over the years, VOC has become a major player in child protection in Nepal. Thanks to its expertise in working with street children and young people and its awareness-raising, prevention, rehabilitation and advocacy programmes, the association is fighting against exploitation and abuse, helping to forge a promising future for every child and young person in Nepal.

The work of KEOOGO and VOC is essential in raising community awareness and advocating for the reintegration of children into society. As members of PARTAGE Rise, their commitment demonstrates our shared desire to ensure a better future for all children in vulnerable situations.

ADEMA, our Haitian partner, is running a programme to support state schools in the Bas Nord-Ouest region.

The aim of this project is to build the capacity of local players and thus help improve access to quality basic education.

To this end, training has been offered to school headmasters. The aim of this initiative is to support them in their pedagogical role and improve the monitoring of the teachers they supervise.

To highlight the importance of the role of educational supervisors and share good practice within the PARTAGE RISE network, ADEMA presented its capitalisation process to the French-speaking partners on Tuesday 19 March 2024. This presentation included the lessons learned from the data sheet on “Pedagogical supervision of headteachers, an important lever for the quality of teaching”.

> See the resource  (available in French only)

From 26 to 28 February, PARTAGE and three of its partners met in Compiègne to work together on a joint project entitled “Cantines des Écoles du Monde“.

The aim was to define the joint challenges and activities to be implemented together in order to encourage pupils to stay in school and have access to better food, while developing partnerships with the various educational players in the areas where we are working: teaching teams, parents, local communities and canteen staff.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Youssouf Dainane and Nasser Assoumani, from the NGO MAEECHA in the Comoros, Arsène Adiffon and Tobias Gbaguidi from the NGO RACINES in Benin, Dina Raouf and Hanaa Kaldas from the association AHEED in Egypt joined us to present what they are already doing in schools and canteens. A wide range of subjects, each as relevant as the next, were discussed: How can we get everyone involved in improving the quality of food and education? How can we take into account the economic realities and vulnerability of children and families? How can we ensure that communities and authorities take greater responsibility for canteens? How can we work together to build a project that will enable thousands of children to grow up better and strengthen us collectively?

This “giant brainstorming session” came up with a number of ideas and, above all, an incredible amount of energy to work at our own level to improve the well-being of children. Thank you to our guests for their motivation and their ever-increasing contribution to the Rights of the Child.

Several beneficiary children have sent us videos to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the signing of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. These children and young people share their views on their inherent rights.

Through these inspiring videos, the children invite us to see the world through their eyes, to understand their experiences and to recognise the crucial importance of Children’s Rights.

Each video is an open window, offering heartfelt reflections on themes such as education, health, nutrition, protection and participation. These ambassadors of hope express their aspirations and dreams and highlight the challenges they face on a daily basis.

Their words on the Rights of the Child transcend linguistic and cultural barriers, uniting the voices of these young people in a symphony for a fairer and more equitable future.

By sharing these videos, PARTAGE hopes to amplify the voices of these children, transforming their messages into a powerful force for raising awareness on this day of 20 November, which serves as a reminder of the crucial importance of guaranteeing the rights of every child everywhere in the world.

This video talks about the right to non-discrimination with children and young people from Haiti, Lebanon, Mayotte, Ecuador, Madagascar and the Union of the Comoros:

This video talks about the right to participation with children and young people from Egypt, Nepal, Ecuador and Cambodia:

This video talks about the right to life and survival with children and young people from Burkina Faso, India, Honduras, Nepal, Thailand and Lebanon:

 

Finally, this video talks about the right to well-being with children and young people from Madagascar, Romania, Brazil, Thailand and Benin:

Testimony of Yolaine Guérif, Managing Director of PARTAGE

“On this anniversary of the Rights of the Child, many of us want to shout out to the world that children should all have the right to live in peace, to grow up protected and to play freely.

Nearly 45 million children are displaced by conflicts around the world, 244 million do not go to school and 1 in 3 children around the world does not grow up normally because of malnutrition!

This situation, which makes us howl, also gives us the energy to fight relentlessly, even though great progress has been made over the last 34 years. I’ll let you listen to these children who are bearing witness for us on this anniversary, they give us wings to build a better world together!”

By celebrating 20 November, PARTAGE and its local partners on the ground are reaffirming their daily commitment to the rights of all children, emphasising that every day counts in the quest for a world where every child can grow up with dignity, protection and hope for the future.

From November 24 to 26, 40 volunteers, employees and partners of PARTAGE participated in the launching seminar of the project “Children committed to the objectives of sustainable development” at the Fort d’Aubervilliers. Hosted by the Fort Recup association, these three days were an opportunity to draw inspiration from cross-disciplinary experiences, to share skills, to learn from multiple cultures and to develop a common action plan: all the equipment needed to set sail!

With the same educational intention, this international team will contribute to accompanying the children on this long-term project, which involves various issues: promotion of global health, environment, children’s rights, interculturality… How can we contribute to the personal construction of our young actors so that they develop their spirit of initiative, citizenship and solidarity?

Following this course, the seminar aimed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each person, to debate their own representations of education for citizenship and international solidarity, to discover during a round table the small successes that shape the confidence and desire to act of young people, or to grasp the challenges to be taken up on the monitoring and evaluation of the project.

These numerous exchanges made it possible to learn the fundamental posture to adopt in order to facilitate the acquisition of human skills in conjunction with the educational teams. Between school life and family life, there are spaces for listening, for non-judgment; spaces of pedagogical freedom to be created during this project, where young people can commit themselves to the implementation of meaningful actions, provided they are accompanied.

Strengthened by these moments of conviviality and quality, our 40 participants are now ready to raise the anchor towards their territories, to avoid the icebergs by supporting, encouraging and valuing during the three years of the project approximately 3,000 young sailors who will reveal to themselves and to others their power of humanity.