Abdias lives in a villa in Burkina Faso
Listening Abdias Dah is 10 years old and lives in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. Here he talks about his home, his family and his dreams for the future.
The family and the house
Abdias lives with his mother, father and cousin Jeremy in a large villa. In addition to the three of them, his grandmother sometimes stays with them. She lives in the countryside but needs to come to the city for medical appointments.
The house has seven rooms and running water, something not everyone in Burkina Faso has.
- Many have to fetch water from pumps and cook outside," says Abdias.
The family is currently rebuilding the house to get an extra room. Maybe Abdias will have his own room soon!
Abdias Dah is 10 years old and lives in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso.
Abdias Dah is 10 years old and lives in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso.
Jeremy - like a brother
Abdias shares a room with his cousin Jeremy.
- "He's actually my cousin, but we've lived together for so long that we count each other as brothers," says Abdias.
Although Abdias shares a room, he enjoys it. He still thinks it would be exciting to have his own room in the future.
School and favorite subjects
Abdia's school is a short distance away, and traffic in Ouagadougou is heavy. So his parents drive him there by car.
At school, he likes history, biology and geography. He finds it exciting to understand how the world works.
Abdia's mother works in an office and his sisters study at university.
Abdia's mother works in an office and his sisters study at university.
What does Abdias do in his spare time?
After school, it is often very hot, up to 40 degrees! Abdias takes it easy and watches cartoons in the living room. His favorites are Dragon Ball and Naruto.
When it cools down, he goes out to exercise or box on his punching bag. He also likes to do crafts.
- "I've just made a spinning top out of an ink pen and corks from PET bottles," he says.
Behind the gates of Abdia's house is a small courtyard where the family can dry laundry and park their bikes.
Behind the gates of Abdia's house is a small courtyard where the family can dry laundry and park their bikes.
Differences between urban and rural areas
Abdias has been thinking about how different life is in Burkina Faso depending on where you live. In the cities, people buy food in shops, but in the countryside people grow their own food.
He thinks it's good to be able to grow your own food, because you don't need as much money. Abdias is thinking about what he wants to be in the future. Maybe a farmer, a lawyer or a soldier?
This text was originally published 1 March 2018.
Published: 02 December 2024
