Bridges to Burkina
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country located in West Africa. It's bordered by Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest. Burkina Faso faces several challenges, including poverty, lack of access to education and healthcare, and environmental degradation. The country has also been affected by regional security issues, including terrorism and conflicts with extremist groups.
What is Bridges to Burkina?
Bridges to Burkina is a charitable organization based in the United States. The charity works with rural villages in Burkina Faso, Africa, to combat poverty by helping them implement sustainable and repeatable strategic plans for economic stability, health improvement, and advancement through education.
A Learning Place
Burkina Faso doesn’t have the resources to support primary education. Communities are often responsible for building their own schools and teacher housing but many are unable to do so. As a result, many children either don’t go to school because there is no school available, or they must leave their family to live in an area that has a school.
Two Goats
We provide two animals (goats or sheep) to each woman at a cost of about $165. We also provide ccess to veterinary care, which costs $10 per animal. The women fatten the goats or lambs for six months and then sell them when the market value is high. 75% of our original investment plus 5% of the profit is returned to us. A bank account is opened and the balance of the profit is split between the bank and providing for their family. We repeat this process for four years, at which time they have saved enough to continue without further help from us.
Beans and A Hoe
We provide seeds, fertilizer, tools, and materials necessary for women to grow crops. The village chief offered land that can be used for farming. Every rain season, the women gather together to grow crops and sell a portion of their harvest in the local market. A bank account is opened with the initial investment amount plus 20% of the profit, which is saved for the following year. The rest of the profit and the remaining portion of the crops are shared among the women to enable them to take care of their families.
Living Above the Dirt
The parasitic insect, called “Bouglee” in the native language, lives in the dirt on the ground and feeds on live flesh. Sleeping on the dirt floor of their mud brick homes, the people are regularly subjected to the insects boring into their skin causing both pain and infection and requiring frequent trips to a hospital. If a hospital visit is not possible, removal of the insects is attempted using a knife, which often leads to infection. We provide the cement while the village people provide the sand and gravel needed to create a strong concrete mix. The village people provide all of the labor for mixing and pouring the concrete.
Why are We Involved?
"My grandmother introduced me to Bridges to Burkina after showing me photos of a village in Burkina Faso. The homes there lacked basic floors, let alone modern amenities. We are all blessed in so many ways, but it's easy to take what we have for granted. Simply visiting our store is a blessing because it means you have access to the internet. The ability to make a purchase here is also a blessing because it means you have money to spend. The people in this village do not. If you choose to donate, these people may never know your name, but they will feel the impact of your generosity. Even if you're not interested in our products, I encourage you to consider donating. On behalf of Bridges to Burkina, thank you, and God bless." - Hunter Harrison, CEO of the Hunter Association Company
Thank you for your support!