Heroines of Faso: Young women leading the way for an inclusive Burkinabe

By Firmain Eric Mbadinga

Farida Tiemtoré, a young lawyer passionate about women rights in Burkina Faso, is motivated by a wish to make a positive impact in her community.

''My passion for gender equality and women's rights guides not only my professional commitment, but every aspect of my life," she tells TRT Afrika.

She is at the vanguard of women rights in the West African country and has been mobilizing young women, under the banner of Heroines of Faso, in the campaign of raising awareness among women and young girls.

Her passion for advocacy started in her high school days, but she shot to fame in 2019 when she established a blog, which two years later was transformed into an association to give voice to women's issues.

‘’As the founding president of a girls' association, I have gained valuable experience in advocacy, community mobilization and project management.

"My professional and personal commitment converge towards a single goal: to help create a Burkina Faso that is fairer and more inclusive for all, where women's fundamental rights are respected and promoted,'' she says.

The members of the Heroines of Faso association have been holding training sessions to educate and empower women.

"We work to raise awareness and provide sexual and reproductive health services to ensure that women and girls have equal access to quality care and relevant information.

"We actively combat gender-based violence by offering support to victims and advocating policies to protect the rights of women and girls," explains Tiemtoré.

Burkina Faso has been battling a decade-long insurgency that has left about a third of the country under the control of militants.

A recent report by Oxfam estimated that more than a million women and girls in the country faced increased sexual violence, hunger and water shortage as a result of the conflict.

In October 2023, the Heroines of Faso association launched the "School of Heroes" programme to provide educational assistance to children whose parents have enlisted to the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP) - a volunteer group that supports the military's fight against militants.

''We want every child from VDP (families) to wake up in the morning with a smile of hope, knowing that they are loved, supported and that they have a promising future ahead of them," Tiemtoré told local journalists when handing over the school kits to the beneficiaries.

The association will cover the school fees for 15 children for the current school calendar year.

On International Women's Day, the association organised a training session for women on the secrets of soap-making.

''Our menstrual dignity programme for internally displaced women aims to empower them through educational talks on menstrual hygiene and training in income-generating activities.

"The association's Young Leading Conference programme offers young people a dynamic platform where bold ideas come to life, where our country's challenges find solutions, and where intergenerational links are strengthened," adds the lady whose actions are attracting increasing admiring attention.

In 2019, the Heroines of Faso blog won the Coup de cœur des internautes prize and the prize for best community blogger at the Burkina Golden Blog Awards.

To fund its activities, the association relies on the generosity of volunteers, donors, and supporters who are sympathetic to its cause.

The association is delighted with the support of the local authorities in carrying out its missions and programs in the field.

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