Boys' Youth Groups: Countries--Burkina Faso

Figure 1.-- This photo was taken in 1986 during the visit of the French President François Mitterrand to the former French colony of Burkina Faso (Upper Volta). It shows a group of Pionniers de la révolution (Pioneers of the revolution) a youth organization modelled along the pattern of the Young Pioneers in the communist countries--especailly Cuba). It was established in Burkina Faso during Thomas Sankara's presidency (1983-87). The few images we have of the Pioneers show that, except for the yellow berets (modelled on Che Guevara beret), the children dint't wear allways the same uniform. Even the scarfs were not allways red, and sometimes the children wore they ordinary clothing. In official occasion, as in this photo, the Pioneers of the revolution are barefoot, perhaps to be shod all in same way. In the photo some children look to have the tan of flip flops, but they took them off.

Burkina Faso was the French West African colony pf Upper Volta. We have very little youth group information. There may have been a small Scouting mivemnent during the French era. We note a group of Pionniers de la révolution (Pioneers of the revolution) a youth organization modelled along the pattern of the Young Pioneers in communist countries. It was established in Burkina Faso during Thomas Sankara's presidence who influenced by the Cubans toyed with socialism (1983-87). The Pioneers were founded by Captain Thomas Sankara, a fervent Marxist and pan-Africanist revolutionary who seized power after a popularly-supported coup (1983). Sankara launched the "Democratic and Popular Revolution" (Révolution démocratique et populaire). This was fundamental transformation of Burkian society to be rapidly achieved in a short time period. Sakara ruled through his Council of Popular Salvation junta. Sankara gave special attentioin to children, including prohibiting female genital mutilation and forced marriages were banned. [Sissoho, pp. 31-32.] He also launched a nationwide literacy campaign. Some 2.5 million children were vaccinated against meningitis, yellow fever, and measles.[Kobo] Communist revolutionaries like Sankara had some humnaitarian ideas in mind. What they did not understand is that sicialism does not work and would not lead to a prosperous soicuety. Cuba was very active in Africa during the Cold War. The few images we have show that, except for the yellow berets (modelled on the Che Guevara beret), the children didnt't always wear a standardized uniform. Even the scarfs were not allways red, and the children commonly wore they ordinary clothing. We are not sure to what extent it was a seriuous group or just a prop for the Sankara regime. We believe it was disbabded safter Sankkara was ousted from power.

Sources

Kobo, Kingsley. "Burkina Faso: Ghost of 'Africa's Che Guevara'". Al Jazeera. (October 31, 2014).

Sissoho, Oumie C. (2008). Analysis of the Role of the United Nations, International Organizations and NGOs in the Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (Ann Arbor: ProQuest: 2008). .