Since 2019, Burkina Faso has faced a severe humanitarian crisis stemming from political instability, security issues and climate shocks. In 2024, 2,938 security incidents were reported, leaving 6.3 million people in need of aid, including 2.4 million displaced individuals. Among them, 2.7 million are food insecure and 611,500 – comprising 480,000 children and 131,500 women – are suffering from severe malnutrition. Additionally, 1.7 million people urgently need Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) support.

To address these needs, Action Against Hunger’s Rapid Response Mechanism delivered assistance across most regions, including: food assistance; shelter kits; WASH support; and improved access to water and sanitation facilities. In collaboration with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, we conducted large-scale, multi-sectoral interventions in seven regions. These included emergency health services through mobile clinics, support for local health centres, economic recovery programmes, and strengthened water and sanitation infrastructure.

Mental health and psychosocial support were also embedded to mitigate the crisis’ impact on vulnerable populations. The RESAN project tackled food security and nutrition with food distributions, nutritional supplements, and income-generating support, while the PAMUCE project strengthened health and mental health services at both health facility and community levels.

Action Against Hunger also adopted a resilience and development approach (Nexus approach) to enhance Burkina Faso’s capacity to manage protracted crises. Through the USAID PREPARE initiative, we contributed to improving reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional health services, particularly in underserved areas. In the west, the BEOOLGO project focussed on strengthening decentralised health services by training and supporting local structures. The YERETALI program (operating in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire) promoted recovery in the southwest by improving living conditions and fostering sustainable livelihoods.

These integrated, complementary projects, carried out with national and international partners, ensured a comprehensive and effective response to the needs of the most vulnerable populations.