Published

23 May 2022

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Communities
Houndé

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Mining revenues fund health, water, education and renewable energy initiatives that are positively impacting communities near Houndé

  • Funding community water pumps, solar panels and local clinics have made a considerable impact to daily lives by facilitating access to water, renewable energy and healthcare
  • Investment into educational facilities has improved the quality of education for children from nursery through to secondary age with smaller class sizes
  • Communities urge future projects prioritise economic empowerment for young and female entrepreneurs

Alongside the direct community investments we make across our operations, we also contribute 1% of revenue in Burkina Faso (0.5% in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal) to the Local Mining Development Fund (LMDF), in line with local legislation. So far the LMDF has invested over 11 billion F CFA in a range of sustainability projects that have improved access to education, healthcare, clean water, and economic opportunity, and ultimately resulting to improved living conditions for the host communities surrounding the mine.

Perhaps the biggest impact has been in local education, with over 401 million CFA invested to improve access to education, from nursery all the way through to high-school graduation. Seven new primary schools have been built, along with 12 classrooms at four others, as well as the provision of new educational materials and infrastructure maintenance support for early learning and pre-schools. At the secondary education level, two new colleges have been built in Dankari and Siéni.

In a recent article highlighting the LMDF’s positive impact around Houndé in Burkinabe newspaper, Sidwaya, the Houndé District Head of Primary Education, Maxime Gnoumou, praised the education initiatives, “We welcome the mining fund. The facilities created thanks to this fund have helped us make class sizes more manageable.” Classes were previously on average 110 students sometimes reaching 180 students. Madame Gnoumou added, “very often, we were forced to refuse new students, meaning many students did not have the chance to go to school.”

We welcome the mining fund. The facilities created thanks to this fund have helped us make class sizes more manageable.

Maxime Gnoumou
Houndé District Head of Primary Education

In Houndé, Dankari and Laho, the building of three new community centres with social and health services was launched, with one recently completed. In the article, former Deputy Mayor of Houndé, Dissan Boureima Gnoumou, emphasised that “the construction of new infrastructure meets the real needs and expectations of the constituents." He added, "the radius of access to healthcare for community members has been significantly reduced from 11km to 4km”.

In Dankari, a village located 15km from Houndé, a new community health centre is being built with a dispensary, maternity ward, and water station. The chair of the village Development Committee, Lassina Pehan, expressed his appreciation, “we have been asking for the construction of this health centre for years, which is in the process of being finished. We are happy that today it is a reality”. Patients from Dankari and the surrounding villages typically travelled seven to ten kilometres to access treatment, the new centre should greatly improve their access to healthcare.

We have been asking for the construction of this health centre for years, which is in the process of being finished. We are happy that today it is a reality

Lassina Pehan
Chair of the village Development Committee

For many local community members, fetching local water can also be a significant challenge. The fund’s 212 million CFA contribution to water projects over the past few years has resulted in 19 autonomous water stations being equipped with solar panels, water towers and pipes within local communities. Before the fund was established, the Houndé Mine itself had invested 300 million CFA to extend the national water system to the area.

The fund has also boosted local commerce with the construction of a new shopping centre as well as an investment in solar energy for nine communities. Although the recent socio-political events in Burkina Faso has postponed some projects, significant funds are currently being allocated for future projects, with the communities calling for a prioritisation of initiatives that will assist the youth and female entrepreneurs. Future projects in the planning also include the building of 100 new street shops, a three-kilometre tarmac road, seven new schools and an extension of the power grid network in the area.

The projects selected are in line with the municipality's order of priorities, particularly in terms of health, education and water. The challenge is to make sustainable investments. This is where the monitoring must be rigorous so that the LMDF's achievements are long-lasting,” commented Nestor Boulou, Endeavour’s Group Social Performance Manager.

The projects selected are in line with the municipality's order of priorities, particularly in terms of health, education and water. The challenge is to make sustainable investments.

Nestor Boulou
Endeavour’s Group Social Performance Manager.

In the Sidwaya article, Mamadou Bonkian, a member of civil society agreed that in Houndé, he believes that this monitoring work must be an essential link. Bonkian explained, “without [monitoring], we would have a mining fund with billions which would be useless if the infrastructure only lasts for five years.

These infrastructure improvements around Houndé are a great example of how the gold that we produce can provide lasting value to society.