Now, far from home, Assaleh carries a heavy responsibility: providing for his wife, their eight children, his blind brother, his divorced sister, his elderly mother, and three nieces and nephews after his brother’s death. In total, sixteen people depend on him for survival.
Burkina Faso: Assaleh cares for 11 children after fleeing conflict
Assaleh (38) from Burkina Faso was forced to flee when armed conflict reached his village in the Sahel region. Together with his wife, children, and extended family, he escaped the violence of an armed group attacking their community.
14 July 2025
Forced to flee
Like nearly everyone from his village in Burkina Faso’s Sahel region, Assaleh and his family were forced to flee when an armed militia attacked. Leaving behind their home, their land, and their security, they sought refuge elsewhere. But life as displaced people has brought new challenges. Without their farm, the family lost not only their house but also their main source of income.
The hardest part is finding enough food for the children, Assaleh tells us. This struggle left many of his children undernourished.
A new start
Thanks to ZOA’s emergency response project in Gorom District, Assaleh and his family now have access to regular meals. In addition to food assistance, ZOA provided Assaleh with two goats – a male and a female – giving him the opportunity to rebuild his livelihood. The goats are more than just livestock; they offer a pathway to future income and stability.
"I’m very grateful for the help I received", Assaleh says. "I thank God and pray that He blesses those who made this possible."
Emergency assistance
Assaleh’s family is one of 280 households (over 2,600 people) receiving assistance through ZOA’s food security programme in Gorom, designed to support those displaced by the ongoing violence in Burkina Faso’s Sahel region. In Burkina Faso, ZOA works together with its partner organisations Woord en Daad and CREDO local to provide life-saving emergency relief to families forced to flee.