Children in Sanki have finally obtained legal status
On the evening of November 30, 2025, members of the City of Ubuntu association met with a group of Sanki residents in the village hall to present them with birth certificates for around 50 children.
The importance of birth certificates
During one of our first visits to the village of Sanki to distribute chairs and tents, City of Ubuntu volunteers were informed that several children in the village did not have birth certificates. Birth certificates are proof of legal existence. They are the documents that enable all other official documents to be issued. It is with a birth certificate that a child is enrolled in school and can take official exams; it is with a birth certificate that a certificate of nationality, national identity card, and passport can be obtained. Not having a birth certificate is a bit like not legally existing.
That is why City of Ubuntu is committed to helping the parents of these children obtain birth certificates for their children. We thought the project would be completed in a few weeks, but it took us almost three years.
Finally, the project has come to an end
The joy of the parents upon receiving their children’s birth certificates also expressed a sense of relief after a long wait. Indeed, it was necessary to identify all the children who did not have birth certificates and find a doctor available to go to the village of Sanki to meet the children in order to establish their apparent age certificates. The files were then transferred to the Banganté court for judgment, which took time. After the judgment, the files were sent to the Banganté town hall for the birth certificates to be issued, which also took time. Finally, the certificates were issued and sent to Sanki, and the distribution took place in an atmosphere of joy and gratitude.
The words of gratitude we received during the distribution of these certificates were intended for all those who worked to make this project a reality. Among these people, we can mention Angèle, the secretary general of City of Ubuntu, who initiated and followed up on the project, as well as Alexis, Stéphane, and Basil. There are also health professionals, legal officials from Banganté, municipal leaders, and many others. For the distribution, Jean de Dieu, Basil, Claude, and Armand Blaise went to meet with the parents in Sanki.
Sanki, an Ubuntu village
The village hall was packed when the birth certificates were handed out. Men, women, and children from different tribes, languages, and religions were there. This made us realize that Sanki is truly an Ubuntu village. In this village, the Hausa, English speakers, French speakers, Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, and members of other faiths live together. It was therefore easy for us to describe the vision of City of Ubuntu, because the inhabitants of Sanki are aware that a village cannot be built alone. To live in this environment far from urban centers, the inhabitants rely on each other. Everyone is there because the others are there too: that is Ubuntu!
The village’s current challenge: the school
The atmosphere at the birth certificate distribution was very friendly. In addition to the birth certificates, we had brought pens to encourage the children to go to school. Several members of the village spoke to thank us for the initiative and to present their grievances.
The main concern was about the village school, which is no longer functioning. According to those who spoke on this issue, the only teacher who had been assigned to this school is no longer able to teach. Parents are forced to suspend their children’s schooling or send them to neighboring villages, which involves enormous losses in time and resources.
The residents of Sanki who gathered for this occasion expressed their desire to have a functioning school in their community. This concern is beyond the current capabilities of City of Ubuntu, but we are committed to passing on their message so that their voices are heard by the relevant authorities.
Avenues for collaboration with City of Ubuntu
Our conversation with the residents of City of Ubuntu led us to identify important avenues for collaboration, primarily in the area of training. We agreed that the residents of Sanki would draw up a list of the training and capacity-building courses they would like to receive, indicating the number of participants, date, and location for each course. City of Ubuntu will be responsible for finding qualified individuals to deliver these training courses and support the residents of Sanki in their professional development.
Another avenue to explore will be the promotion of agricultural products through primary processing and the marketing of local products. Our next meetings will enable us to identify new avenues for collaboration and consolidate those we have already embarked upon.
Jean de Dieu Tagne
CEO of City of Ubuntu