CERF support helps restore dignity and hope for displaced women in Burkina Faso

In Dédougou, 235 km west of Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou, displaced women are cultivating more than vegetables. They are rebuilding hope.

Honorine, a mother of five, fled insecurity in her village and now lives in a temporary site with thousands of other displaced people. Nearly 8,500 people arrived in Dédougou in the first half of 2025 alone, according to the National Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Council, increasing pressure on limited water and land.

Behind her tent, Honorine grows cleome leaves, a common local leafy green, as well as onions, bean leaves and aubergines.

“When I take care of my garden, I forget my sorrows,” she says. The vegetables supplement her family’s meals and allow her to share with neighbours.

More than 40 displaced women now cultivate a larger two-hectare plot secured by a local association, Salaki. Agricultural inputs and a Government-supported borehole have helped the initiative take root, strengthening social cohesion with host communities.

Beyond livelihoods, access to essential services remains critical. At the Secteur 3 site, a health post funded by the OCHA-managed UN Global Emergency Fund (CERF) provides medical care and psychological support. Many displaced people suffer from trauma.

“The most important thing for displaced people is to be heard,” says psychologist Dr Alice Nana.

Across Burkina Faso, 4.47 million people are projected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026. Sustained funding is essential to ensure that women like Honorine can continue building safer, more dignified futures.

Read more about how CERF funding is helping displaced women restore hope and dignity in Burkina Faso: https://www.unocha.org/news/gardens-hope-stories-displaced-people-burkina-faso

Posted February 2026

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