Exposition Event at Sabou

Theatre discussion forum with the public.

On Saturday morning we arrived at the office bright and early. After waiting for both volunteers and association members to arrive from all corners of Koudougou, we strapped their wheelchairs to the roof and piled into the minivan, ready to head to Sabou. En route we sang the ASK anthem along with other Burkinabe favourites to get us in the mood for what we knew would be a successful day.

Within 40 minutes, we arrived in high spirits at our destination and straight away got stuck into the inclusive sport sessions. We started off with a demonstration of Blind ball, Blind running and Injured soldier with our volunteers initially acting as participants, capturing the attention of the spectators around us. Luckily, it did the trick and managed to reel in both school students and children living nearby. By the end of our sports session and the beginning of our awareness discussion, we had accumulated over 300 children and young people within our audience ! Now if that isn’t a successful awareness session then I don’t know what is.

Torball session with the public. 

After our inclusive sports session, we went to explore the exhibition. This was being showcased by members of our disabled associations from Sabou and Koudougou, all of whom were very proud to show off their work! It was a lively event with an array of interesting products on display, some of which (bronze ornaments) were snapped up by our volunteers. Meanwhile, other members arrived with their work equipment such as weaving poles and fence makers. We were lucky enough to witness a demonstration of traditional weaving involving Rasmata, one of our National volunteers. We were able to soak up the atmosphere with a local Burkinabe DJ keeping the crowd entertained and in high spirits with some rockin' African beats. Whilst the exhibition took place, we warmed up the crowd with a few games of blindball using children from the crowd as participators. The aim of showing this sport was to highlight that those with sensory disabilities such as blindness can still play and enjoy sport competitively without their disability getting in the way.

Rasmata, our national volunteer trying her hand at traditional weaving. 

Exposition of association's products.

The climax of the day followed with the theatre play presented by the professional Theatre group of Koudougou. The play followed the story of a deaf child whose father mistreated him as a result of his disability. By the end of the play, we see the perceptions of his father change as he encounters others with disabilities who have been successful in life. The family start to better understand, listen and support their son. The overarching message we wanted to highlight was that disabled people can achieve the same as everybody else and that they must be given equal opportunities to succeed.

We all agreed that the play was a blinding success with over 300 spectators giving a raptous round of applause. The message of the play was further reinforced by a discussion forum hosted by the theatre group during which they invited members of the public to reflect on the play, asking for their opinions on different characters. It was also a great opportunity for some of our associations to share their experiences and to make the audience aware of some of the difficulties that they face. For the volunteers, this event really brought home just how important our work is and just how effective these awareness raising sessions truly are.

After a successful fair event we rounded off the day by visiting the 'campement' in Sabou where we were invited to share a drink with our association members from Sabou and Koudougou to celebrate a successful days work.

Well done Team! 😊

Written by Natonia Ennis, edited by Callum Kennedy.

13/03/2017

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La version francaise 

La partie discussion du théâtre avec le public

Cette journée du 04 mars à Sabou a été une très belle journée, chargée mais pétrie d’expérience pour nous TEAM ASK. Nous sommes arrivés à Sabou aux environ de 9h au siège de l’association WEND KUNI le président et certain membres nous attendait pour le début des activités.

Nous avons été accompagnés par deux agents de la sécurité sur le terrain pour la session sportive. Une fois sur le terrain, nous trouvâmes une foule immense qui nous attendait pour débuter cette session sportive qui initialement devait commencer par le handibasket avec l’équipe Handibasket de KOUDOUGOU, mais comme le terrain n’était pas adapté, nous avons par finir fait uniquement du sport inclusif. Les participants ont été très actives pendants ces moments qui ont pris fin par une courte discussion vers 11h.

Session de Torball avec le public.  

Il était 11h et quart quand nous embarquâmes, avec des cris de joie, des chants comme << ask, m yam là m wiisi, ask, m yam là m la>>, la police nous escortant jusqu’au lieu de la foire. Arrivés au lieu de la foire, les exposants étaient déjà sur la place avec leur savoir faire, pendant que nous visitions les stands certains exposants faisaient des démonstrations sur place et nous avons vraiment été épatés. Apres cela le président des handicapés visuels Mr ZONGO Ciby, lui-même artiste musicien nous a fait écouter de la bonne musique, suivit d’un cour moment de comédie avec le président de la coordination personnes handicapés de Koudougou Mr YAMEOGO Paul avec d’autres membres de l’association, pendant que le groupe théâtrale se mettait en place.

Rasmata, une des volontaires nationaux en train d'apprendre le tissage. 

A 14h 30 le groupe théâtral commença par ambiancer le coin avec des pas de danses avant de commencer le théâtre, tant attendu par le public. Apres le théâtre, nous n’avions qu’un cour moment de discutions parce que le théâtre avait déjà abordé tout les aspects. Ces merveilleux moments prirent fin par des remerciements des différentes parties et nous embarquâmes pour le retour à Sabou. Sur l’invitation de l’association Wenkuuni a une réception qu’elle a organisé, nous y sommes allés, heureusement c’était au campement et nous avons eu l’occasion de faire un peu du shopping dans les boutiques. Aux environ de 17h 30, nous reprîmes la route de Koudougou tous content et heureux. Merveilleux, merveilleux, merveilleux journée à Sabou et à la prochaine. 

Ecrit par Rasmata Kanfeogo 

13/03/2017