Published in spring 2025, the 4th edition of the newspaper Commitments looks back at some microprojects carried out in crisis zones in order to better understand their impact in a sensitive context.
This newspaper published three times a year by La Guilde, in partnership with the newspaper Boarding, highlights personalities and actions carried out by La Guilde and its partners around development, volunteering as well as adventure. The program includes presentations of actions, interviews, magnificent reports and photos, and even “Culture G” points.
In this edition, a double page is dedicated to micro-projects carried out in crisis zones by associations supported by La Guilde, in particular thanks to programs carried out with the support of the French Development Agency.
First, in a context of high insecurity, Burkina Faso, the association Education-Sharing-Health for the future of Burkina Faso continues its partnership with Espace Makana where various income-generating activities are carried out, for the benefit of displaced persons. Thus, training in sewing, weaving, livestock farming, soap making and even organic charcoal production are offered to the villagers present in Ouagadougou.
The association Future of the Young Girls of Dapaong also bears witness to projects carried out in the north of Togo, aimed mainly at women, the majority of whom are illiterate, in a context of very arid land and difficulties for them to set up a subsistence and remunerative activity. Market gardening and the installation of a borehole are thus at the center of the association's latest project, which has won multiple awards.
In other contexts, the association Gingando pela Paz works with children and young people to reintegrate them through social capoeiraThis sport is notably offered in several camps for displaced people in Goma in Democratic Republic of Congo, to former child soldiers in order to help them rebuild their lives and abandon their identity as child soldiers.
Flavio Saudade, the association's president, says: "Through social capoeira, we help them regain this empathy. Many struggle to express themselves verbally, but capoeira, through its playful aspect, allows them to dialogue with their bodies. In this safe space where they are respected and protected, they develop an internal dialogue while interacting with others, thus restoring their social connection."
Other micro-projects are also in the spotlight, including the one carried out in Goma, by La Guilde in partnership with the Peace Screens and thanks to the operational capabilities of the RFI Club Goma, and supported by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Screenings, group discussions and individual psychosocial support sessions are organized for local populations, particularly women and children, some of whom were child soldiers. “cinema therapy” has proven itself, and has also been deployed internationally since other projects using the same methodology have been carried out, particularly in Syria.
Also, local Afghan associations continue toeducate young girls in some provinces ofAfghanistan, thanks to volunteer teachers who teach classes of girls in private education centers or those run by local NGOs and approved by local governors.
Vincent Rattez, general delegate of La Guilde, clearly reveals the impact of microprojects in a crisis context in particular: "It is development aid, sometimes in countries in crisis, especially at war, resilience support" .
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