Rosalie Ouédraogo

Life is hard for most students living in poverty in the communities of Banembanto in Burkina Faso. There is no access to computers, calculators or internet connections that many students in North America take for granted. They don’t even have electricity or running water in this remote area.

Rosalie Ouédraogo is an 11 year old CCFC sponsored girl who attends Banembanto Public Primary School. Intelligent and kind, she is admired and praised by almost everyone - her family, her schoolmates and community members. Unlike most little girls in Canada, however, Rosalie has had to overcome certain obstacles in her schooling, simply because she is a girl.

Rosalie loves school, and works extremely hard to get good grades. She came first in her class three out of the last four years, and was chosen as a classroom delegate last year – an honour usually only accorded to males. 

This was a source of tension in the school. According to Vincent, a former classmate, “One of the responsibilities of a delegate is to look after your school mates in the absence of the teacher. Rosalie used to hold that job very well but in return for that, she was [threatened] to be hit by boys.”

The idea of a girl leading the class in grades was also foreign; even to her close friends. Aimé, a schoolmate, shared that “she has always been among the best of the class. For me, normally it should be boys not girls that should be top of the class; but Rosalie is very good.”

Despite the challenges faced by Rosalie, however, she is brave and determined to continue her schooling. According to those around her, “she even does not fear any boy in her class.” She works hard, pays attention, and strives to achieve her best, showing other little girls in her community it is okay to be smart, and that they shouldn’t be intimidated by success.

Her mother, Germaine Ouédraogo, has six other children besides Rosalie. When asked about Rosalie’s success, she proudly states, “My daughter Rosalie works very well at school. She has always been the best pupil in her class. I know this from what her teacher tells us. As she works well, we – as parents – bought an oil lamp so that she and her siblings would have the best conditions to study. When I can afford it, I would buy her a skirt to show I am happy with her accomplishments.”

As for Rosalie, her “…dream is to become a teacher one day. To help my younger brothers and sisters.”