Burkina Faso’s border regions: 33 projects for the employment of young people and women
10,000 beneficiaries by 2020
This programme finances the initiatives of civil society and local authorities to support the employment of young people and women in 3 border regions: the North, the Sahel and the Boucle du Mouhoun. These are mainly rural regions, where social indicators are among the most alarming in the country and where security conditions are rapidly deteriorating.
The 3 regions of intervention of the programme
A total of 33 projects are currently being cofinanced and, by 2020, 10,000 final beneficiaries will have received skills training or will have been supported for the creation of businesses and sustainable jobs.
A wide range of projects and partners
All the initiatives selected are led by local development associations, training centres, local authorities and public agencies, professional groups or international NGOs and are intended to train and support young people and women towards decent and sustainable jobs or towards the creation of sustainable companies.
The processing and marketing of shea butter, the creation of business incubators, support for the design of business plans for bakeries/confectioners, training for technicians in photovoltaic electricity, training for childminders and the construction of a creche, the creation of a network of technicians in renewable energies: the sectors of operation of the projects are very diverse and reflect the tradition and modernity of these territories, from the construction industry to livestock raising, and including bakeries, weaving and solar power generation.
The work of the project team has been essential in ensuring this diversity, initially in the design of the calls for projects, but also and especially in the work to assist partners in the preparation of their projects.
Presentation des 33 porteurs de projets de formation et d'accompagnement à l'#emploi des jeunes du programme d'Appui à l'emploi dans le Nord du #BurkinaFaso financé par @europeaid et mis en œuvre par @expertisefrance : une volonté des jeunes de faire vivre leur territoire ! pic.twitter.com/izs8tWoGyu
— Conan Herve (@conan_herve) 8 février 2019
Projects in line with the needs of the territory
Furthermore, the program’s team of experts, which combines skills in local development, training engineering, business creation and project management, ensured that all the proposals selected were in line with the actual needs of the territories.
On the basis of what already existed, the team provided its ideas and suggested projects which the entities on the spot took up, and brought about partnerships with an external perspective, always with the objective of promoting what already exists in the territories, as it is this territorial base which guarantees long-term success. This close support has allowed both small rural associations and international NGOs to obtain financing from the programme.
Reaching the most remote areas
There is no lack of international financing in Burkina Faso, especially when it comes to training and employment for young people. Yet the most remote areas in the country only benefit a little, or not at all, from this financing.
Thanks to the 33 projects cofinanced by the programme, 100% of the provinces of the 3 regions and 90% of the municipalities will benefit from at least one activity for the employment of young people and women, via a real network of initiatives by local civil society organisations and new dynamics to benefit populations.
Find out more about the programme 