Burkina Faso Regional Program BI-WEEKLY REPORT March 14-27, 2020

The program focuses on addressing economic vulnerabilities in these regions, particularly in the Sahel region, where several attacks have occurred and violent extremist organizations (VEOs) have restricted movement for goods and services. In the Sahel region, micro-enterprises and informal vendors, mostly women, make up a large portion of the economy. To ease economic vulnerability for women vendors in light of growing insecurity, BFRP trained 30 local food vendors on adaptive business solutions. These solutions included proper hygiene techniques, micro-business skills, and providing new manufacturing kits. The kits consisted of a table, propane cook stove, parasol, and storage containers. The training and equipment provided have helped increase overall sales for many beneficiaries, with some reporting a doubling or tripling of sales. The use of these kits and business training has also helped improve the understanding of the security context among the vendors. This has enabled them to adapt their activities to be more resilient in the face of extremist influence. The lack of a government economic safety net to sustain these informal businesses means that many local women may be swayed by armed groups to accept other financial incentives in exchange for their affiliation or recruitment. BFRP's efforts aim to provide space for these women to improve their economic resilience and reduce their vulnerability to extremist influence. In addition to the training and equipment provided to vendors, BFRP also worked with local authorities to rehabilitate five hectares of gardening space in the Sahel region. This rehabilitation included the construction of an irrigated reservoir that increased the production capacity for the site. The garden's management committee was also trained and built to manage the site effectively. A total of 250 locals, including 130 women, were provided with free equipment to increase their yields. The garden has become a viable economic solution for the local population, providing a means for them to feed their families and neighbors. Nearby markets have become major trading outlets for the products from this community garden, reducing VEO influence over the commune.