Strengthening Youth Resilience for Peace in Burkina Faso: Inclusive Governance and Peacebuilding in the Sahel and Centre-North

Funded to the tune of €1,143,589 by the Kingdom of Belgium (85%) and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) (15%), the project directly reached 12,644 young people, including 7,722 young women. 

A Response to the Crisis 

The root causes of extremism in these regions include economic marginalization, institutional fragility, and community tensions. Faced with this reality, the DJAMTAN - LAAFI BALA project empowered young people by offering them economic opportunities and integrating them into the governance bodies of organizations and the state. 

Ambitious Goals 

The DJAMTAN - LAAFI BALA project was structured around two main axes: 

1. Support for Economic Opportunities: By collaborating with incubators and support services, the project helped build young people's confidence in these services. The goal was to help them fully exploit local economic opportunities, which, in turn, increased their confidence and autonomy. 
2. Promotion of Peace: The initiative aimed to make young people self-sufficient and keep them away from extremism by offering economic opportunities and active participation in local governance. 

Concrete and Impactful Results 

The DJAMTAN - LAAFI BALA project had a direct impact on 12,644 people, including 7,722 women. The project's results are promising: 

• 22 partner organizations collaborated directly with the project. 

• 2,268 young people (including 1,356 young women) were trained in economic development, local governance, and civic participation. 

• 10,396 young people (including 5,254 young women) were reached by awareness campaigns on economic development, local governance, and civic participation. 

• 207 young entrepreneurs benefited from a comprehensive incubation process for the development of micro-projects. 

• 486 income-generating activities (IGAs) were created by young people, and 99 were improved. These IGAs include livestock farming, market gardening, sewing, commerce, IT/telecom, catering, electricity, plumbing, sculpture, and metal and wood carpentry. Livestock farming is the most common activity, followed by sewing and commerce. 

Collective Mobilization 

In collaboration with local partners such as Laboratoire Citoyennetés (LC) and the Association Bon Samaritain pour l’Épanouissement de la Jeunesse du Centre-Nord (ABSEJ/CN), the DJAMTAN - LAAFI BALA project was able to mobilize resources and skills to implement concrete initiatives for young people. 

Testimonials and Hope for the Future 

The testimonials of the participants illustrate the transformative impact of the project. The trained and supported young people express a renewed sense of hope and determination. They become agents of change in their community, contributing to lasting peace and shared prosperity. 

More than a response to an immediate crisis, the DJAMTAN - LAAFI BALA project represents a model of inclusive governance and peacebuilding, where youth empowerment and their active participation in economic and social life are essential levers for a sustainable and peaceful future in the Sahel and Centre-North regions of Burkina Faso. Thanks to well-targeted funding and close collaboration with local partners, this project has shown that another path is possible for young people.

Learn more about the project

This project was made possible thanks to funding from the Kingdom of Belgium (85%) and CECI (15%). Thank you to our donor and to all our donors!