Burkina Faso Regional Program Bi-Weekly Report

The program has 56 cleared activities, totaling $1,921,730, and 45 activities pending, totaling $1,755,600. The I Am Burkina initiative aims to promote community cohesion and peaceful coexistence in the northern regions of Burkina Faso. The program features a video spot with seven customary and religious authorities and personalities from the artistic and sports world, who deliver a message on community cohesion and peaceful coexistence. The video spot is followed by the phrase "I AM BURKINA," emphasizing the strength of community resilience in the face of violent extremists. A community organization will use the spot along with a theater play on stigmatization to raise awareness in the Nord region. The Don't Fight for Your Right to Cultivate or Herd initiative addresses tensions between herding communities and local farmers in the Nord Region. Herding communities have had to adapt their normal grazing paths and seek new lands to pasture for safety due to increased attacks and theft of livestock by violent extremist organizations (VEOs). BFRP worked with a local association to address major issues of cattle movement, grazing paths, and provide an open dialogue between farmers and breeders. The association established regulations on rural land management and created a user-friendly leaflet explaining the rights of local farmers and herders. A workshop was hosted by the association to share the leaflets with the community, detailing how this leaflet can be used as a tool for raising awareness on land management issues. In the Sahel region, BFRP has worked with local authorities to program activities aimed at restoring peace and mutual understanding among local citizens. After recent VEO attacks leading to a significant displacement of populations, local authorities have found it necessary to join their efforts in finding lasting solutions to ease the misery and tensions of the population. Local authorities met with BFRP team members to better understand the challenges and capitalize on joint actions to alleviate the needs of communities and show strength in the face of adversity. The BFRP has implemented a range of activities to address the challenges faced by communities in the Nord, Sahel, and Est regions. These activities aim to promote community cohesion, peaceful coexistence, and resilience in the face of violent extremism. The program has engaged local authorities, community organizations, and associations to address the root causes of tensions and promote lasting solutions.