RIYADH: The Saudi Esports Federation, through the Gamers Without Borders tournament — the largest virtual charity event for gaming and esports — in collaboration with Saudi aid agency KSrelief, donated over $1.7 million to UNICEF’s office in Burkina Faso.
The grant aims to provide formal and non-formal education to more than 27,800 children, 50 percent of whom are girls, in areas affected by insecurity.
John Agbor, UNICEF representative in Burkina Faso, said: “Thanks to the generous contribution of KSrelief and Saudi Esports Federation, thousands of children will benefit from formal and non-formal education, vocational training and radio-based learning.”
The funds will support preschool education for 4,500 children, formal and non-formal education for 16,700 children, and technical innovations for 6,600 children in the Central-North, North, East, Sahel, and Boucle du Mouhoun regions.
As of December 2024, the humanitarian situation in Burkina Faso remains difficult, with over 2 million displaced due to conflict.
Despite the government’s efforts to reopen more than 1,500 schools, over 5,000 remain closed, affecting 20 percent of the country’s educational institutions.
In one year, primary school enrollment rates in Burkina Faso dropped from 85.8 percent in 2022 to 77.4 percent in 2023.
With KSrelief and the Saudi Esports Federation’s support, UNICEF has launched several initiatives, including building and equipping 27 classrooms, creating more than 100 accelerated learning centers for out-of-school children, and planning vocational training for 500 boys and girls.
Other initiatives aim to reach 6,000 children through emergency classrooms and 600 children via remote learning with tablets, as well as increase radio-based learning and provide school supplies for vulnerable children.
