The people who help us in Burkina Faso …
None of our work would be possible without people 'on the ground' to help us. Every project needs to be overseen by someone local, someone who knows the locals and who understands the culture of the country. Importantly, someone who speaks the language! Whilst French is the official language, there are many local languages which are commonly spoken. We are very grateful to everyone who works tirelessly for us, without pay, to help us achieve our aims.
Thank you to .....
Father Paul
Father Paul was absolutely key, right from the start, to introducing us to lots of people and inspiring many projects. Les Amis would not exist without his help and guidance.
Father Charles
He was also there right at the very beginning in 2007. Without his help many of our projects would not have got off the ground. He is still the main channel by which many of our funds are sent and distributed.
Brother Harry
Brother Harry is a missionary Franciscan Capuchin friar who, with other missionary Franciscan friars, lives and works in the suburbs of Ouagadougou. He works alongside Pélagie to run our Yoann Foundation and is one of a number of friars who have led and taken responsibility for the running of the Yoann Foundation.
Father Lambert
Father Lambert helps us to reach out to individuals and small groups of people. Father Lambert takes amazingly good care of Gillie when she is in Burkina Faso, and is a great source of guidance and help to us.
Father Thomas
Father Thomas is the parish priest in Gounghin where we are the St Monique Home for orphaned secondary school girls.
Father Pascal
Father Pascal helps us to reach out to those girls who have left the St Monique Home in Gounghin and who have gone on to further education in Ouagadougou and Koudougou.
Sister Léontine
Sister Léontine looks after the girls of the Baskouré refuge with great dedication.
Father Gérard
Father Gérard is based in Koupéla and runs the local branch of OCADES to which we make regular contributions. OCADES gives girls and young women training in skills to enable their self-sufficiency.
Father Vincent
Father Vincent helps us to reach out to disadvantaged girls of the Tenkodogo diocese.
Sister Micheline
Sister Micheline oversees the St Joseph’s Training Centre in Fada where we support a number of girls in their training as seamstresses.
Pélagie
Pélagie is the mother of the late Yoann, after whom the Yoann Foundation is named. Her insight into the sufferings of mothers with handicapped children has been invaluable to the guidance of this foundation.