More than 1 million citizens of Burkina Faso have been displaced from their homes as of September of this year. This is due to the violence caused by armed forces in the country associated with ISIS and Al Qaeda. Despite the local military’s best efforts, this has quickly escalated to the fastest-growing internal displacement crisis in Burkina Faso. 

The conflict primarily arose from the fallout of the war in Libya. Extremist groups contributed greatly to growing violence, weakening governments of nearby countries. Burkina Faso also suffered from the corrupt regime of its former president, Blaise Compaoré, who ruled for 27 years. Instead of putting a stop to the extremist groups moving into the country, Compaoré made deals with them to help him remain in power. 

In 2014, citizens banded together in a movement that demanded a change in leadership. But what was supposed to be a call for help turned into mass violence. Armed militant forces, bandits and jihadists took advantage of the chaos to widen their territory and spread  propaganda. Compaoré was removed from his office later that year. 

In addition to suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Burkina Faso struggles to keep the economy afloat. It has forced them to shut down schools, hospitals and businesses. Armed forces saw this as an opportunity to call for citizens to join their fight, promising shelter and safety. Desperate and hungry, people did what they had to in order to feed their families. 

According to the UN, by the end of 2019, around 500,000 people were forced to leave their homes. Displacement camps were set up around the country to help these families. But this measure has its limitations. Food and medical supplies are growing low within the Sahel region where the country is located. The UN estimated that over 500,000 children are acutely malnourished.

Where is the aid?

In 2019, the country needed $187 million to maintain its schools, hospitals and military. However, less than half that amount was raised. This year, it is estimated by the UN that Burkina Faso would need approximately $295 million to provide for displacement camps, healthcare supplies, food and other resources. This would help deal with both the armed conflicts and pandemic. As of Sept. 24, the U.S. has pledged $152 million to provide assistance in the Sahel region. However, it is not sufficient to help the country—let alone the entire region. 

While international efforts are being made, the global population remains uninformed about this humanitarian crisis. This is due to no fault of anyone’s own. There is still a looming virus that has killed over a million people worldwide. In such chaos, it is easy to forget other dangers that threaten humanity. 

Talk to your family, friends, coworkers and anyone you know about the armed forces crisis in Burkina Faso. Remind them that outrageous violence still exists during this pandemic. While you might not be able to directly send assistance to the country, many international organizations have set up ways for you to donate to displacement camps that will provide food and shelter for men, women and children in need. 

You can also call your local and state representatives to push them to focus on sending more aid to Burkina Faso. This is an important and worthy cause. The more attention it gets, the more likely we can get Burkina Faso the help it deserves.

In this time of turbulence, humanity has to come together to help one another. Do not let Burkina Faso be forgotten.