We are here in Burkina Faso

One in four people in Burkina Faso is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Violence, poverty, and climate change have forced over two million people to flee their homes. For millions more, food is scarce and access to clean drinking water is limited. Together with CREDO and Woord en Daad, ZOA provides life-saving emergency aid and works to strengthen recovery and resilience.

We are here for the people in Burkina Faso

people need humanitarian assistance

of the population lives below the poverty line

internally displaced people in 2024

a country in crisis

The needs are growing in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is facing a deep humanitarian crisis. Years of violent conflict have forced millions to flee their homes. In 2022 alone, two military coups further destabilized the country. Women and children are among the hardest hit – not only by violence and hunger, but also by outbreaks of diseases like malaria, measles, and dengue fever.

At the same time, climate change is making things worse. Drought and failed harvests have left families without enough food. Many survive on just one small meal a day. The northern regions are especially hard-hit, with people fleeing violence while struggling to access water, food, and firewood. Tensions between ethnic groups, such as herders and farmers, and between host communities and displaced people are also growing. In this fragile context, ZOA works not only to save lives, but also to rebuild trust and restore peaceful coexistence.

Our work in Burkina Faso

ZOA is active in the north and northwest, as these regions are most affected by conflict and displacement. In close cooperation with local partners CREDO and Woord en Daad, we provide both emergency aid and long-term recovery support, tailored to the needs of each community.

Food aid in Gorom-Gorom (2023 - 2024)

In this border region near Niger and Mali, ZOA and partners CREDO and ADR supported hundreds of families fleeing violence. Our response focused on two areas:

Emergency food assistance for 280 vulnerable households, helping them meet basic needs
Livelihood restoration: Each family received two goats and animal feed – crucial support for rebuilding herds lost during displacement

Support and social cohesion in Ouahigouya

In Ouahigouya, ZOA launched a new project with CREDO and Woord en Daad to support both displaced people and host families:

Food aid for 500 households: 418 newly arrived displaced families and 82 local host families are getting support to get through the lean season
Fuel-efficient stoves: Women are receiving stoves and training to make them using local materials – reducing dependence on scarce firewood and exposure to harmful smoke
Promoting social cohesion: The project fosters collaboration between displaced and host communities and addresses gender-based violence through awareness and prevention efforts

A woman sitting on a wall in Burkina Faso

working together

Donors and partners

ZOA collaborates closely with local and international partners to provide both emergency relief and long-term support in Burkina Faso. In a country where over two million people are displaced and more than 6.3 million require humanitarian assistance, joint efforts are essential to meet urgent needs and build resilience.

Partnerships and networks

ZOA works in consortium with Woord en Daad, a Dutch development organisation, and CREDO, a local Christian NGO in Burkina Faso. CREDO brings strong community networks and long-term local engagement, while ZOA contributes its expertise in emergency response and coordination. Together, the three organisations support vulnerable communities through life-saving food assistance, access to clean water and hygiene, and livelihood recovery.

This partnership is built on mutual respect for each other’s expertise. As CREDO’s director Josias Sanogo explains, “We work in overlapping areas of expertise, but each of us adds unique value. Every voice counts, because we respect and build on each other’s strengths. That’s how we deliver the best possible support.”