Burkina Faso aims to recruit one million national volunteers in five years

The Groupement d’Intérêt Public-Programme National de Volontariat au Burkina Faso (GIP-PNVB) has announced a major expansion of its national volunteering initiatives. The organization aims to build a pool of one million national volunteer reservists over the next five years, targeting approximately 200,000 recruits annually.

These reservists will be trained to support the state during health emergencies, natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and community development projects such as sanitation and environmental protection. The GIP-PNVB emphasized that these volunteers are intended to provide support and are not meant to replace professional defense forces, emergency services, or healthcare personnel.

In a related meeting in Ouagadougou, the Minister of Sports, Youth, and Employment, Annick Lydie Pikbougou, met with program ambassadors to reinforce their role in mobilizing resources and promoting social cohesion. The program also plans to introduce a senior volunteer initiative to leverage the expertise of older citizens.