Thomas Sankara was the revolutionary leader and president of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987. Known as “Africa’s Che Guevara,” Sankara aimed to free his country from poverty, corruption and foreign dependence. Sankara introduced sweeping social and economic reforms. He improved education and healthcare, launching vaccination campaigns that protected millions of children from diseases such as measles and meningitis. He promoted local food production and sought to reduce dependence on foreign aid. As part of his fight against corruption, he cut government luxury spending and lived a modest lifestyle himself. He strongly supported women’s rights. He banned forced marriages and female genital mutilation, and encouraged women to serve in government and the military. Sankara also placed great importance on environmental protection, planting millions of trees to combat desertification. Thomas Sankara was killed in a military coup on 15 October 1987. He was 37 years old. His independent stance against foreign powers, particularly France, as well as IMF policies and imperialism, is widely regarded as one of the key factors that led to his assassination.