Yatenga – region is in northern Burkina Faso This is part of the Sahel semi-desert south of the Sahara Burkina Faso.

Yatenga – region is in northern Burkina Faso

This is part of the Sahel semi-desert south of the Sahara

Burkina Faso

Yatenga

The climate has got drier over the years.

The Sahel has had several bad droughts

Farming – many of the farmers are nomads. They keep animals and move from place to place

These are Tuaregs with camels.

Most farmers are settled in one place and grow crops

As well as keeping some animals

Crops include sorghum and millet

Millet is the main cereal grown in rainy season in the Sahel - where it is originated from. It is found on sandy soils where the rainfall is about 350 to 450 mms.

As population grows in the villages the pressure on the land grows.

This can lead to environmental damage.

‘If mum is cooking I might help to wash the plates. When I get the chance I warm up some water so that I can wash and get changed. I pray for the last time at 8 pm. We eat together: me, Sali, and my mother. We almost always have wu [a stiff white porridge made of millet flour], but with different sauces’

Trees are removed to get wood to cook with …

Fuelwood and overgrazing leads to deforestation

In dry weather deforestation leads to soil erosion by the wind …

… and in the short rainy season soil erosion leads to gullying.

To stop soil erosion they build stone lines

Everyone helps … even the men.

But women do most of the lifting and carrying.

Currently running water schemes in 11 countries, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sudan, Senegal, The Gambia and Ethiopia. Muslim Hands is providing safe, clean water to tens of thousands of poor people.

From large community tanks, and irrigation channels to tube-wells that cost only £100 to fit, Muslim Hands Safe Water Scheme has gone from strength to strength over the past ten years.

WATER AID - charity

Biomass is wood – it shows how much they use

Many obstacles constrain Burkina's development prospects, with widespread poverty and rapid population growth posing the greatest challenges.

Few children get much more than a primary education.

Boys are more likely to attend school than girls.

Yatenga is one of the poorest areas

Of one of the poorest countries

In the poorest region of the world.

The country has so much to do …

But so little money to do it with.

Into the future – but on with the struggle.