Credit: FFL
Fondation Follereau Luxembourg (FFL) has presented its projects for the year 2020, including the completion of seven construction projects by the end of the year.
Active in nine countries on the African continent, mainly in West Africa, the foundation has contributed to the promotion of human rights and respect for human dignity for almost 55 years. Alongside its partners, it supports local, inclusive and positive initiatives in response to the needs in the field in terms of health, education, protection and emergencies. Projects exist for and by the community, to help guarantee their impact and sustainability.
According to the FFL, its success has proven both the importance of the actions carried out and the commitment of the Luxembourg public to these causes. In 2020, the foundation is set to become increasingly involved in its countries of intervention, in particular through information and awareness campaigns, as well as support, the strengthening and construction of health centres as close as possible to the communities.
In this context, the foundation has announced plans to build and make operational seven new constructions, including one maternity unit, three community health centres (two in Mali and one in Burkina Faso) and three peripheral care units (two in Togo and one in Côte d'Ivoire) respectively by the end of 2020. In order to guarantee access to drinking water, the FFL will also drill eight holes. These initiatives are aimed at strengthening access to health care for all, both in terms of geographic distance and access to information, qualified personnel or affordable services.
As part of awareness-raising activities on female genital mutilation (FGM), and more generally on gender-based violence (such as forced marriage), the foundation will target 85 new villages, including 50 in the province of Koulpélogo (Burkina Faso). In 2019, awareness-raising actions reached 25,808 people, spread over 104 villages in Mali and Burkina Faso, while 91 women were able to benefit from reparation and sixteen excisers were redirected to another income generating activities.
In addition, this year, in order to strengthen the autonomy of projects and beneficiaries, many income generating activities will be set up or consolidated, namely: health projects, in order to improve the socio-economic conditions of communities; childcare projects; to ensure the reconversion of old excisers; to strengthen the Aka groupings in the Central African Republic.
Training and capacity building of local actors, such as teachers and health workers, will also be at the heart of the FFL's intervention strategy for projects in 2020.
In general, the foundation will focus this year on the progressive empowerment of projects, the development and optimisation of certain programmes, as well as on the more pronounced integration of transversal themes, such as gender issues, sustainability and environment in each action taken. The FFL will therefore continue to increase its commitment alongside its local partners for the promotion of human rights and respect for human dignity in matters of health, education and protection.
