Burkina Faso

Peace Corps resumed work in Burkina Faso in 1995 after an eight-year absence. Upon request of the government, Volunteers arrived to work in primary healthcare in rural communities.

Two years later, the Ministry of Secondary Education requested Volunteers to work with middle schools, high schools, a teacher-training college, and a university to make up for large shortfalls in qualified teachers.

In 2003, the government and Peace Corps collaborated to start a small enterprise development project in microfinance and agribusiness. The girls' education and empowerment program began in 2005 in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic Education.

Education

Education Volunteers work in both rural and urban sites teaching secondary school English, math, and science, and university-level English as a second language. The current program focuses on math and science education, primarily in rural secondary schools where the need for teachers is the greatest. Volunteers encourage girls to excel in mathematics and science, which traditionally have been limited to boys.

Burkina Faso has one of the lowest rates of primary school enrollment in the world—just 36 percent of the school age population attends school and this decreases to only 31 percent for girls. Volunteers work to promote girls’ enrollment, attendance and success in school. Volunteers and their counterparts work with girls to promote their self-esteem, success in school, and the mastery of life skills through such activities as girls’ clubs, study groups, theater troops, and sports.

Health

Volunteers are assigned to the Ministry of Health to promote health education in village clinics and to revitalize the primary healthcare system. Volunteers work with local communities to strengthen local health management committees and to develop community health promotion programs on such priority concerns as childhood communicable diseases, malaria, HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, and Guinea worm eradication.

Volunteers assigned to HIV/AIDS awareness work with community theater groups to pass on HIV/AIDS messages. Some Volunteers are involved with bike-a-thons that help reach underserved rural communities with HIV/AIDS information. They may also may conduct awareness campaigns in conjunction with governmental and non-governmental partners.

Small Enterprise Development

The small enterprise development project works in conjunction with the Ministries of Commerce and Tourism to promote the development of the private sector in Burkina Faso.

Volunteers work in the areas of micro-credit and agribusiness in towns and villages across Burkina Faso. Volunteers help women's associations to establish viable income generating projects and small savings/credit programs. Other Volunteers assist craftsmen and entrepreneurs to improve their business practices. Volunteers also work with public and private sector partners to develop environmentally responsible tourism programs.

Last updated Sep 28 2008