Education Cannot Wait Expands Multi-Year Resilience Programme in Burkina Faso with US$13 Million Catalytic Grant; Total ECW Funding Tops US$36 Million

Climate change, forced displacement and security challenges are intensifying the impacts of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Burkina Faso. Without access to safe learning environments, crisis-affected children are the most vulnerable. 

To scale up the response to this complex crisis, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and its strategic partners announced today a $13 million catalytic grant to expand its Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP) in Burkina Faso. ECW and its strategic donor partners have now invested more than $36 million in Burkina Faso, reaching over 450,000 girls and boys with holistic education. 

The grant will be delivered by UNICEF in coordination with the Government of Burkina Faso and a wide consortium of international and local partners to provide over 90,000 crisis-impacted children with access to quality learning opportunities. At least 25% of the programme’s budget will be delivered by national organizations. 

This is one of Africa’s forgotten crises. Only 13.8% of the education response outlined in Burkina Faso’s Humanitarian Response Plan had been funded prior to the ECW catalytic grant, according to OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service. 

“Today, only 6 out of 10 children in Burkina Faso can access primary education, with even fewer in crisis-affected areas. Working together with our national and local partners, this ECW grant will deliver safe, quality education to the most vulnerable and marginalized girls and boys. However, more support is urgently needed, and I urgently appeal to strategic donor partners to further strengthen our efforts in ensuring every girl and boy in Burkina Faso can realize their right to a quality education,” said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises in the United Nations. 

"The funding for the Multi-Year Resilience Programme, which will soon be launched, is both timely and relevant for Burkina Faso. It has a medium-term scope, while aligning with national priorities and adhering to education in emergencies' principles, which require an immediate response. Burkina Faso intends to build on this model to accelerate its education in emergency response while institutionalising the triple nexus by preparing the education system to address humanitarian emergencies and contribute to peace and development in the country," said Jacques Sosthene Dingara, Minister of Basic Education, Literacy, and the Promotion of National Languages of Burkina Faso.

“All children, regardless of their social status or place of residence, must have equal chances to access quality education. Thanks to the Multi-year Resilience Programme funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), thousands of vulnerable children from rural areas or those facing significant security challenges will be able to receive a quality education in a healthy, safe, inclusive and protected environment. As adults, they will be able to choose their own professional career and build a better future,” says John Agbor, Representative of UNICEF in Burkina

Burkina Faso is one of the least developed countries in the world. In all, there are around 2.1 million internally displaced people. Today, nearly a quarter of the population requires humanitarian assistance. 

The education system is severely strained. The security crisis has resulted in the closure of about 20% of the nation’s schools. While the Government of Burkina Faso has made important strides to prioritize education, only 24% of children will make it into secondary school. Girls and children with disabilities are especially at risk. 

The grant aims to strengthen access to quality formal and non-formal education, build resilience into the education system, align financing from strategic donor partners, and build a system-wide approach that connects partners to deliver on the promise of universal education as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals.