Skip Global Navigation to Main Content
Skip Breadcrumb Navigation
Skip Left Navigation
Self Help Program
 

The Ambassador's Special Self-Help Program provides small grants for community driven development projects in the areas of water and sanitation, income generation, health, education, mills, agriculture and general social assistance.  For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011, $150,000 is available for Self-Help projects in Burkina Faso.  The Self-Help Program is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF).*

The Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program funds projects that:

  • Improve economic and social conditions at the grassroots level;
  • Support high-impact, quick-implementation activities that benefit a large number of people;
  • Involve a significant local contribution in cash, labor, or material;
  • Are within the ability of the local community to operate and maintain;
  • Are in direct response to the initiatives and aspirations of the local community; and
  • Whenever possible, contribute to income-generating or self-sustaining activities.

Limitations on the use of Self-Help funds include:

  • Religious Activities: Assistance for religious organizations to conduct religious activities or construct religious facilities is prohibited. 
  • Training:  Training would not meet the Self-Help criteria since it normally benefits only a limited number of people. 
  • Personal Services: Financing of personal services is discouraged. 
  • Vehicles: Self-Help funds are not intended to purchase vehicles. 
  • Police, Prison and Military Activity: Use of Self-Help funds to finance military, police, prison or other law enforcement entities’ activities, training, equipment, commodities and facilities is absolutely prohibited.

In the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2010, the embassy funded 39 projects for a total of $150,000* for Self-Help projects in Burkina Faso. Projects included the installation of cereal mills, the purchase of inputs for market gardening production, the construction of wells and boreholes for access to clean water, the purchase of tools for garbage collection and the purchase of agricultural tools to control water erosion.

Associations or communities in Burkina Faso wishing to propose a project for funding can access the application here. Questions can be sent to the Embassy's Self-Help Coordinator at amembouaga@state.gov or call the Embassy for further information.

*FY 2010 and 2011 USAID provided funding of $100,000 and USADF provided funding of $50,000.