Supporting the Internally Displaced and Host Communities in Burkina Faso

Context

Since 2016, Burkina Faso has been suffering from a security crisis that has led to a mass migration of displaced people within the country. As of the spring of 2023, it estimated that more than two million people have been internally displaced and nearly one in four of them are living in the Centre-Nord region. More than half are women and children.

The communities hosting them are finding it increasingly difficult to deal with the arrival of more internally displaced people. The situation is overwhelming the administrations and social facilities of these communities and putting both social harmony and the region's economic recovery at risk.

Objective

The living conditions of internally displaced people and other population groups in need of protection in specific host communities of the Centre-Nord region have improved.

Approach

The project is helping displaced children integrate into school and society at large. To that end, it is providing teachers, school directors and social workers with training and advice on how to better integrate internally displaced people.

The project is also improving access to key social services for the internally displaced and impoverished population groups in the host communities. In addition, it is providing training to the communities’ administrations on how to meet people's needs.

Meanwhile, the communities are being advised on ways to promote dialogue between their local citizens and the internally displaced people they are taking in. This is meant to promote social cohesion. As part of this effort, the project is also supporting social services, local media and other organisations on the ground in establishing further initiatives that are designed to foster understanding and communication between refugees and the populations receiving them.

At the same time, the project is seeking to assist the region's economic growth. It is helping refugees and local citizens start businesses and offering guidance to associations, agencies and initiatives that are working on the region's economic development.

This work to support economic recovery is done in collaboration with Enabel, the Belgian development agency.

Last update: July 2023