Gardens of Hope: Stories of displaced people in Burkina Faso

Fragile hope, unwavering determination

Like many displaced women, Honorine dreams of returning to her village one day.

“Every rainy season, our tents leak. Our belongings get soaked,” she explains.

Yet she and her neighbours refuse to give in to despair. In addition to tending to their gardens, they have organized savings groups to strengthen their self-reliance.

“Tomorrow must find us standing,” is their collective thought behind the initiative, explains Honorine.

Inspired by this collective initiative, a local association, Salaki, decided to take action. Following advocacy with the local authorities, the association secured a two-hectare plot of land approximately two kilometres from the site. More than 40 women, including Honorine, now cultivate larger plots there, alongside their family gardens.

Agricultural services provided inputs and fertilisers, while a borehole supported by the Government allows part of the land to be irrigated. According to Clotilde Sawadogo, President of Salaki, this initiative has strengthened social cohesion between displaced women and host communities.

“Some people said it wouldn’t work. On the contrary, it energized the women,” she says proudly. The women collected fencing materials to protect the land. However, they need an additional borehole to make full use of the space.