Gardens of Hope: Stories of displaced people in Burkina Faso

By Bénédicte Bama Toé

Honorine grows both vegetables and hope, in a small garden behind her tent. A mother of five, Honorine fled insecurity in her village to find refuge in Dédougou, 235 km west of Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou.

Honorine is among the several thousand displaced people who live in the area, some of them for years. But people continue to arrive. Nearly 8,500 displaced people moved to Dédougou in the first half of 2025, according to the National Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Council.

The displaced families are hosted in temporary reception sites and by host families. The new arrivals add to the growing burden on the shared resources, especially water and land.

Honorine is among the several thousand displaced people who live in the area, some of them for years. But people continue to arrive. Nearly 8,500 displaced people moved to Dédougou in the first half of 2025, according to the National Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Council.

The displaced families are hosted in temporary reception sites and by host families. The new arrivals add to the growing burden on the shared resources, especially water and land.

Life in Dédougou remains challenging, with temporary shelters being exposed to heat, rains and wind. Photo: Bénédicte Bama Toé

Gardens of resilience

For Honorine and many of her neighbours, the land has become an ally. Small gardens have flourished around the tents. Honorine grows cleome leaves, a common local leafy green, as well as onions, bean leaves and aubergines.

“Although our meals are sometimes insufficient, these vegetables make them taste much better,” she says with a smile, holding freshly picked leaves in her hand.

Before she was displaced, her family had a large farm and sold onions, tomatoes and green beans. Today, her small plot reminds her of that former life.

“When I take care of my garden, I forget my sorrows,” she confides.

Water remains a major challenge. Nevertheless, Honorine is proud: she no longer needs to buy vegetables, and she can even share some with her neighbours.

“It feels good,” she says, as her eyes shine with joy.

Family gardens thrive in Dédougou's temporary sites for internally displaced communities. Photo: Bénédicte Bama Toé

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.

Sanata says her fish business allows her to cover some basic needs, complementing the gaps in the humanitarian assistance she receives. Photo: Bénédicte Bama Toé

Restoring dignity through work

In Dédougou, women’s resilience also takes many forms.

Sanata decided to resume selling smoked fish, which was her livelihood before she was displaced.

“Without it, I feel lost,” she says. She sets up her stall in front of her tent.

Although she still faces many challenges in sourcing firewood and fresh fish, Sanata earns enough income to support her four children.

Fatoumata, who has also been displaced, shares this feeling. She also sells dried fish in front of her tent.

“The money I earn from this business doesn’t heal all my suffering, but it eases it,” she explains with a smile. For her, assistance alone is not enough: one must also be willing to work hard.

“There is a proverb in my country that says, 'When someone washes your back, you must wash your face,'” she reminds us.

Fatoumata, displaced for several months, stands in front of her fish stall, hoping her business will help her become more self-reliant. Photo: Bénédicte Bama Toé

For the women’s committee in the Secteur 3 site for the displaced, income-generating activities are essential.

“The best way to remain dignified is to have an income to take care of ourselves,” says one of the committee members. A thought echoed by all.

The challenges are not only material. At the Secteur 3 site, which is home to hundreds of displaced people, a health post funded by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) offers medical care and psychological support.

Dr. Alice Nana, a psychologist at the post, sees both displaced people and members of the host community. Many of them suffer from post-traumatic stress.

“The most important thing for displaced people is to be heard,” she explains.

This is how she met Ramata (name changed), a mother of four, who was crying silently in the queue. Over several sessions, Ramata could express herself only through tears. Gradually, she found her voice.

“I thought several times about ending my life,” Ramata confides quietly. Psychological counselling helped her regain some serenity and hope.

However, this essential service is under threat as funding is expected to end soon. Without a sustainable solution, many people risk being left without psychosocial support.

Dr. Alice Nana underlines that healing invisible wounds is just as vital as meeting other needs of people affected by crises. Photo: Bénédicte Bama Toé

In spite of all their efforts to help themselves, the displaced women in Dédougou face significant needs, including access to water, more resilient shelters, sustainable livelihoods, healthcare and psychosocial support.

Humanitarian partners in Burkina Faso are committed to responding to these needs and strengthening the capacities of women and host communities. According to a joint analysis by the Government and humanitarian partners, 4.47 million people in Burkina Faso will require humanitarian assistance and protection in 2026. The Humanitarian Response Plan aims to raise US$358 million to support 2.7 million of the most vulnerable people.

People in the camp need additional support. Photo: Bénédicte Bama Toé

In 2025, insufficient funding severely constrained the response: as of 31 December, only 31 per cent of the required funding had been mobilized, despite the generosity and commitment of donors.

You can support resilient women in the Sahel, such as Honorine, Sanata, Fatoumata and Ramata, in building a safer and more dignified future.

As funding cuts continue to affect the most vulnerable people in crisis countries, OCHA is running a 87-day campaign to rally support from new and existing donors for 87 million people with most severe needs covered by our global humanitarian appeal.

Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Sudan with urgent support.