The 72-hour reading initiative: A new version launched in Burkina Faso

Written by: Mohammed Omran 

Minister Ousmane Ouattara, Secretary General of the Government and Council of Ministers, launched Burkina FasoThe fifth edition of the “72 Hours of Reading” initiative officially began at Yeghia Private High School, starting with the participants singing the national anthem in the Moorish language.

The fifth edition of the 72-hour reading initiative was launched in Burkina Faso to promote a culture of education.

The event was held under the slogan "Read to understand, understand to succeed," amidst an official and educational presence, where the importance of reading was emphasized as a fundamental entry point for building awareness and expanding the horizons of young people, as they are the foundation of the future.

Minister Ouattara, who presided over the ceremony, praised the organization of these events dedicated to reading.

The head of the department stated that reading is the key to knowledge and freedom, and that it enables us to understand difficulties, endure them, and deal with them with full awareness, adding: ”Reading is a journey, a journey to other eras, other cultures, and other destinies.”.

In his address to the students, the Minister, the Secretary-General of the Government, urged them to maintain discipline in their surroundings, advising them to be disciplined with themselves, their parents, their supervisors, and their teachers.

Ousmane Ouattara urged students to achieve success in their studies by completely eliminating cheating and indiscipline from their lives. He concluded by saying, "Cheating will not go unpunished.".

In this context, the Bank of Africa Foundation – Burkina Faso concluded its eye disease screening campaign, «My Vision Campaign,» for the benefit of students of the N’Oko 1 school in the municipality of Saba, after the end of its activities on May 13, 2026.

The campaign was launched on May 4, 2026, and during its implementation period it succeeded in examining 3,825 pupils as part of efforts to detect vision disorders in children early.

The initiative launched by the BOA Foundation aims to improve the visual health of students, which will positively impact their ability to learn and achieve academically.

The campaign provided free medical consultations in ophthalmology, as part of its support for students suffering from visual problems that may affect their academic performance.

BOA coordinator Paule Christelle Wedraogo confirmed that a number of cases requiring specialized medical care were identified during the examinations.

She said: By the end of the campaign, 3,825 students had been examined, with 525 prescriptions for eyeglasses, in addition to the discovery of cases requiring further examinations or surgical interventions, and medical referrals had been prepared for them to receive treatment in university hospitals.