Burkinabè Fundraising Association Focuses on Local Resource Mobilization for Community Development

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – On Thursday, October 26, 2023, the Burkinabè Fundraising Association (ABF) convened a forum with various partners to discuss the mobilization of local resources for financing community development projects.

According to a new release by the Burkina Information Agency, Abdoulaye Sawadogo, the Director General of ABF, emphasized the importance of local resource mobilization for the endogenous development of Burkina Faso.

The meeting, part of the “Giving for Change” and “Change the Game Academy” programs, was held under the theme “Community Development: Achievements, Challenges, and Perspectives.” Mr. Sawadogo reported that the forum would serve as a platform for sharing results achieved in various community projects such as the construction of schools, health centers, and boreholes, as well as income-generating activities.

Mr. Sawadogo further mentioned that the ABF has been working with community-based organizations for 15 years in seeking funding for micro-development projects.

According to him, the meeting would also facilitate a deeper reflection on future strategies for more inclusive and participatory community development, particularly in the current context of security and humanitarian challenges.

The forum also highlighted the training of more than 60 community organizations nationally in 2017, in partnership with the Dutch NGO Wilde Ganzen, through its “Change the Game Academy” program. Mr. Sawadogo revealed that based on its national achievements, the ABF was approached in 2023 by several countries including Mauritania, Togo, Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Mali, Cameroon, and Senegal.

According to Sawadogo, the ABF currently operates endogenous development programs in six regions of the country and eight municipalities, with 40 community-based associations already trained in resource mobilization. He added that there has been a notable shift in mentality among stakeholders towards local development.

Professor Ferdinand Ouédraogo, the representative of the head of government, welcomed the ABF’s initiative, noting that it aligns with the government’s resilience actions to mobilize local resources in a challenging security environment. He mentioned that the efforts of the ABF complement the policies of President Ibrahim Traoré, who established the Patriotic Support Fund to counter terrorism and promote community entrepreneurship.

Emmanuel Kabré, the representative of the sponsor, urged Burkinabè citizens to actively engage in local resource mobilization to accelerate the country’s development. Founded in December 2008, the ABF is an apolitical association working to boost financial and technical resource mobilization for NGOs and associations in Burkina Faso.