Integral has hosted a call to share information on the worsening crisis in Burkina Faso …
Eight Members joined to hear updates from those with work on the ground, in order to better understand the humanitarian needs and resources required. Members explored how they could collaborate so that we can better respond to what is being called ‘the world’s fastest displacement crisis’ [Source here].
Burkina Faso, the West African nation of 20 million people, is facing a humanitarian crisis as its citizens flee violence committed by armed extremists. A total of 6.2 million people are affected by the conflict. More than three quarters of a million people have become internally displaced, with around 300,000 having fled in the last four months alone after an upsurge in violence. The figure is predicted to rise to 900,000 people by April. The majority of IDPs live with host families, not in camps, and food is increasingly scarce – the country is now also on the brink of a hunger crisis. It is estimated that a staggering one in ten people in Burkina Faso will need food assistance by June [Source here].
Three Integral Members have reach into this crisis through their local Partners, with a further Member standing by with medical supplies. Members are distributing food, providing humanitarian capacity support and training, and working in health, WASH and specialist support for child IDPs. Funding for this crisis is currently very scarce.
Jon Kennedy, Humanitarian Specialist at Tearfund UK, says: ‘The situation in Burkina Faso is deteriorating daily. We are working to prepare our local implementing Partners as they mobilise and continue to respond. My hope is that through Integral we will be able to find a way to support this “forgotten” crisis and mobilise resources’.
Nilo Endoso, Emergency Roving Manager for Tearfund UK recently facilitated an in-country joint training workshop. The 25 participants were from Integral Member organisations and their Partners. Topics included needs assessment, introduction to cash programming, targeting and selection and beneficiary accountability. The purpose of this workshop was to strengthen local capacity to respond to this crisis.
Nilo says, “This crisis is a growing displacement affecting hundreds of thousands of people. OCHA has confirmed that all ten regions of the country are now hosting IDP’s and refugees. I plead on behalf of Burkina Faso that we should exert all our efforts to let the world know about this growing emergency.”
Please see here for an infographic of Integral Member activity in Burkina Faso.
Integral will continue to facilitate information sharing, with a view to increasing Member collaboration in this crisis. We believe that collaboration enables us to reach more people and to make the best use of our combined resources.
Click here for a downloadable version of this article as a press release
