Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso, literally “Land of Honest Men”, is a country in West Africa, surrounded by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Its capital, located in the center of the country, is Ouagadougou.

Burkina Faso was formerly known as the Republic of Upper Volta. The French colony gained independence in 1960. The country’s current name, Burkina Faso, dates from 1984.

Burkina Faso is a rural, drought-prone country with no access to the sea. Despite its cotton production (Africa’s leading producer) and some mineral resources, Burkina Faso is one of the 10 least developed countries in the world.

In October 2014, a popular uprising led to the fall of the ruling power. A transitional government was put in place before democratic elections were held, leading to the election in December 2015 of Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, who was re-elected in December 2020. However, Burkina Faso is facing a sharp deterioration in the security situation, particularly in its border areas, which are subject to frequent terrorist attacks and are also home to many Malian exiles fleeing the terrorism-plagued north of Mali.

Nevertheless, economic growth (5% per year) is one of the assets of the “country of men of integrity.

Entrepreneurs du Monde in Burkina Faso

Entrepreneurs du Monde has been active in the country since 2009 in social microfinance. It coordinates a program of access to microcredit and training for women in the shea industry, financed by the Fondation L’Occitane. It has supported several microfinance institutions throughout the country and in january 2015 opened YIKRI, its current social microfinance program, aimed at reaching the most vulnerable.

Entrepreneurs du Monde has also initiated an energy access program, the Nafa Naana social enterprise, which aims to disseminate gas stoves, improved wood or charcoal stoves, and solar products.

In 2018, Entrepreneurs du Monde launched EMERGENCE, its first program to support the creation of VSEs and professional integration in Burkina Faso.