When I took the keyboard and the mouse to address you last spring, I hoped that the situation would be more serene 6 months later. Unfortunately, we remain concerned for the most disadvantaged populations.
Only the borders of Burkina Faso are open again. They remain closed to Cambodia, Vietnam and Nepal with some exceptions. This is a disaster for these countries where tourism provides a living for many people.
Nepal, which has been suffering from a second wave of Covid-19 since mid-July, has more than 1,500 new cases per day. Nevertheless, the country is gradually deconflicting under the pressure of the inhabitants. But it has suffered nearly 7 months of shutdown: Nepal sinks into economic crisis.
Even though life has almost returned to normal in Cambodia, schools open in successive wavesas a precaution. Only international schools that were able to put in place a drastic security protocol were able to open until recently.
In Burkina Faso, the new school year is scheduled to begin on October 1. Covid-19 seems to be under control. What worries us most: the security context. Nearly 2,500 schools remain closed this fall due to threats to the country.
Girls who are not in school, in families that have no money left, are always at risk of early marriage. We must do everything possible not to lose the benefits of decades of progress.
But despite all the difficulties encountered in recent months, our teams remain more committed than ever.
Projects have been delayed because of Covid-19, but we are bouncing back to stand by the people.
To give just a few examples:
- With the financial support of Unicef, we continue the project Elephant memory and install handwashing facilities in 25 new schools in Burkina Faso by the end of 2020.
- In Cambodia, we are putting everything in place to welcome as early as 2021, we hope, the children of the women workers of the textile factories in new nurseries built in their villages.
- In Vietnam, committed to the fight against violence against women, we will begin the renovation of a day care center with our local partner SCDI.
- Finally, in Nepal, we are doing our best to ensure that the construction and opening of the new boarding school for Chepang girls early 2021. We are also exploring distance learning options to address the potential for extended school closures.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank you sincerely. I imagine that the crisis that the world is going through is likely to affect some of you. For all that, your generosity does not waver. It is essential. Thank you very much.
Emmanuelle Bourgueil
President
October 1, 2020
