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Deep Dive: Sankara's Orphans (2023)

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Sankara's Orphans
Sankara's Orphans focuses on the story of 600 children sent by Thomas Sankara to Cuba for education in 1983. Many of these children were orphans from rural Burkina Faso, and they were part of Sankara's vision for a revolutionary government. After Sankara's assassination in 1987, these children were left stranded in Cuba, with the last returning to Burkina Faso in 2005. The film presents their experiences through interviews and archival footage from Cuba’s Isle of Youth, where they received education, worked in fields, and underwent weapons training. The new regime in Burkina Faso feared their return and potential for armed resistance, adding a layer of tension to their stories and the political landscape of the time.

Why Watch

  • •Meet the 600 children sent to Cuba by Sankara.
  • •Find out about life on Cuba’s Isle of Youth.
  • •See how education turned into fear for Burkina Faso's regime.

Did You Know

•600 children were sent to Cuba for education by Thomas Sankara.
•The last of the children returned to Burkina Faso in 2005.
•Children received weapons training while living in Cuba.

Perfect For

Burkina Faso historyCuban education systemThomas Sankara's legacy