Since 2016, Burkina Faso has been engulfed in an unprecedented security crisis, triggering a devastating humanitarian situation. Once known for its rich cultural heritage and resilient communities, the country is now at the epicentre of a multifaceted crisis. Millions have been forced to flee their homes, leaving behind their livelihoods and communities. Over 2 million people, 10% of the population, are internally displaced, and 5.9 million – over 1 in 4 Burkinabè – require humanitarian aid. This protracted crisis has not only destabilised the country but also exacerbated existing environmental challenges, particularly deforestation, which has severe consequences for the population, especially women.
With European Union (EU) support, the Belgian Red Cross is providing rapid and effective aid, prioritising the needs and protection of the most vulnerable in the country's Sahel, Centre-North and East regions. Their approach, which takes into account environmental, gender, age, and cultural factors, empowers women by providing sustainable solutions like improved cooking practices and offering light in difficult times.
In the small commune of Bogandé, in Burkina Faso's East region, 75-year-old Barkimba has witnessed the gradual disappearance of lush forests during her lifetime. "I have seen our forests vanish before my eyes," she says. "We used to have an abundance of wood, but now it's a struggle to find enough for our daily needs." Her story is a microcosm of the larger environmental challenges facing Burkina Faso, where deforestation has reached alarming rates. Between 1990 and 2000, the country lost an average of 24,000 hectares of forest annually, a trend that has only intensified in recent years, exacerbated by the ongoing security crisis.
The influx of displaced people has placed immense pressure on local resources, with a sharp increase in demand for firewood for cooking and heating. Furthermore, the crisis has disrupted traditional resource management practices, making the region even more vulnerable to deforestation. Soil erosion and drought, already critical issues, are now compounded by this increased pressure on the environment, threatening agricultural production, economic stability, and food security.
For women displaced by crisis in Burkina Faso, hardship is compounded by dwindling resources.
But Barkimba wasn't ready to surrender. When the opportunity arose to learn how to build improved 3-stone stoves, she eagerly embraced it. Part of a wider emergency assistance package for internally displaced people and supported by the Belgian Red Cross and EU Humanitarian Aid, this activity provides women in the Sahel, East and Centre-North regions of Burkina Faso with the skills and knowledge needed to build improved 3-stone stoves.
Designed for greater efficiency, the stoves, called F3P (‘foyer 3 pierres’), reduce wood consumption by 30-50%, mitigating deforestation and strengthening social cohesion between host communities and the displaced population.
The capacity-building initiative also aims to empower vulnerable women like Barkimba to become agents of environmental change.
The F3P stoves have been designed with local knowledge and ingenuity, offering a multitude of benefits. They not only burn wood more efficiently but also diminish smoke inhalation and the risk of respiratory illnesses.
"These improved stoves are not just about cooking," Barkimba explains. "They are about protecting our forests, our health, and our future."
In September 2024, 200 women, including Barkimba, underwent training on F3P construction. They learned to identify suitable materials, select appropriate stone sizes, and mix earth for construction.
Beyond environmental benefits, these stoves offer significant social and economic advantages.
By reducing the time spent collecting firewood, women have more time for family and other activities, and in some contexts, it contributes to reducing protection risks. Moreover, the stoves can be manufactured locally, creating new economic opportunities for the community. Women trained in these techniques can produce and sell the stoves, fostering economic empowerment and sustainability.
"We can now make these stoves ourselves and even sell them, giving us a way to earn money and support our families", Barkimba adds.
The Bogandé initiative is a beacon of hope, showing how community-based solutions can address pressing environmental and social challenges. As these women continue to spread their knowledge, the impact of their efforts will reverberate throughout Bogandé and beyond, offering hope and inspiration in the face of adversity.
Similar initiatives, supported by EU humanitarian aid and implemented by other EU-funded partners, have enabled an additional 840 people to gain such skills in the Sahel, Centre-North, and East regions of Burkina Faso.
