From 2012, The Sahel region of Burkina Faso is experiencing severe disruption as a result of the war in Sudan. Mali. Fighters often move between the Burkina Faso, the Niger and the Mali. Insecurity has become the rule and local populations are paying a high price. We began our activities in 2008 to support the initiatives of the Association des Guides du Campement EDJEF de Gandefabou (AGCEG).
In addition to the reintroduction of the red-legged ostrich in the region, the aim of the partnership was to work towards improving the living conditions of local populations and reforesting the area.
So, in 2011, we have enabled the planting of 11,000 trees. 60% survived, which is a good result given the difficult weather conditions.
Visit 2015, However, we were forced to halt our activities due to our inability to travel. Ecotourism, which was the basis for the development of the village of Gandéfabou and the surrounding area was completely halted as soon as 2012.
Since then, the situation has continued to deteriorate. Today, in addition to a major economic crisis, families are suffering an unprecedented security crisis. The threat of terrorism has led to the closure of schools in the area, unschooling so over 154,000 children in the region. Representatives of the Burkinabe state in this area are regularly threatened, abducted and murdered. People's livestock is stolen... Conditions have become unbearable for the population, who have to choose between enlisting alongside the terrorists or fleeing to less threatened areas.
The village of Gandefabou is now deserted, as are all the villages on the border strip between France and Italy. Mali and the Burkina Faso. The population of these villages fled the disastrous security conditions, becoming internally displaced persons (IDPs) who settled in the major cities : Déou, Oursi, Gorom Gorom. The municipality of Gorom Gorom, composed of 106,300 inhabitants, is now home to more than 30,630 PDIs, an increase of 29% of its population in two years.
