USAID Snapshot Template - Success Story: Burkina Faso Regional Program

This issue leaves communities susceptible to accepting economic incentives from violent extremists and/or criminal enterprises. As a result, income-generating activities are essential to enabling community members to tackle unemployment, receive market-appropriate skills training, and increase opportunities to become financially independent. USAID/OTI's BFRP is working with local partners to provide vocational training to economically vulnerable groups. In January and February 2020, BFRP collaborated with a local NGO to build the capacity of 25 young displaced craftspeople from the Nord Region. Participants were given the opportunity to learn new leatherwork techniques, including producing shoes, bags, and key rings using locally-sourced leather. The training also included discussions about violent extremist organizations (VEOs) and their negative impact on community dynamics. The training provided participants with new skills, enabling them to revitalize the local leather market by providing quality handmade products to support themselves and their families. Local authorities attended the activity's closing ceremony and were impressed with the quality of the products produced by the participants. A local official authorized the use of his villa to provide a safe space for the newly trained artists to continue practicing their craft. The activities implemented by BFRP provide tangible ways for youth who have been displaced from their homes to adapt to the current security situation and reduce their fragile status. By addressing economic vulnerability, these initiatives aim to reduce the likelihood of youth sympathizing with or aligning with violent extremist organizations. The program's focus on vocational training and income-generating activities is critical to promoting community resilience and reducing the appeal of extremist groups. The Nord Region's leather market has been revitalized through the efforts of the 25 young displaced craftspeople who received training under the BFRP. The quality of their handmade products has been recognized by local authorities, and they have been provided with a safe space to continue practicing their craft. This initiative demonstrates the potential for vocational training and income-generating activities to address unemployment and promote community resilience in Burkina Faso.