West African Resources Ltd, Winner Best Innovation in Corporate Social Development 2022 Africa Award

Initiative: Investment in education to promote improved community outcomes

• West African Resources’ Sanbrado Project is in a rural area of Burkina Faso with low rates of education, employment and socio-economic security. A key focus of its community investment program is supporting education to promote better outcomes for local communities.
• The initiative takes a multi-faceted approach, implementing the following programs in the past two years:
  • Constructed a new school for the Sanbrado community
  • Supplied solar power systems to five schools which didn’t have an electricity connection
  • Donated furniture and classroom equipment to schools
  • Donated bicycles to students at local primary and secondary schools
  • A scholarship program to support local students to attend university
  • A paid internship program which provides work experience for community members, university students, recent graduates and young professionals
  • Funded educational programs for local suppliers to better enable them to participate in business (topics included: using email, recordkeeping, business planning)
  • Funded training in trades (e.g. car mechanics, welding, masonry, electricity) for young people from impacted villages
  • Funded training designed to promote the empowerment and financial literacy of women through the establishment of business ventures (e.g. making, dyeing and selling pagne, a traditional fabric used for clothing), and supporting women to learn French to enable them to participate in civil and economic affairs