BurkinAction: A Leader in African Employability
The data available today indicate that it takes about two generations to perceive the impact of a country's investment in education. This is a long-term challenge, but in a context where the future depends heavily on the ability of future employees to transform the economy, it is crucial to reap the benefits of socio-economic development efforts, quickly.
Burkina Faso is home to nearly 20.5 million people, nearly one-third of whom live in urban areas, with population growth rates higher (nearly double) than in rural areas. Given that 42 percent of its population is between 20 and 64 years of age (labor force age) and 56 percent of the population is under 20 years of age, this raises serious concerns for the future unless swift action is taken to invest in human capital development. If paid employment opportunities are not created at a rate fast enough to meet the needs of this workforce, this could lead to serious socio-economic problems in the future. This raises the issue of preparation for employability, and therefore, for BurkinAction.
What is it ?
BurkinAction is a non-profit, apolitical and open to all created in 2016. A concrete and functional solution, its goal is to create human and professional synergies at the service of young active Burkinabé in Burkina and around the world and anyone with an interest in Burkina. Alongside the events organized in Paris, Ouaga, and Montreal, BurkinAction is above all a collaborative platform working in employability and entrepreneurship.
We talk about employability, it's a big word, but in reality, what is it? According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), employability is "the ability of individuals to find and keep a job, to progress at work and to adapt to change throughout their working life. This means it is about a country's ability to absorb the skills available in the labour market. We know that in Burkina Faso the competition is tough.
“ Urban youth unemployment increases with their level of education. In fact, more than a third of young people with higher education are unemployed (34.5%), compared to 17.2% among secondary school students and 11.3% for primary school students. Only 5.4% of uneducated youth are unemployed. Thus, youth unemployment is partly linked to the low employability of young people trained in the national education system.”
Indeed, whoever speaks of employability necessarily speaks of unemployment. Formal education has its limits, and its promises have not always been successful, as university graduates represent a substantial share of the unemployed in Burkina Faso. But BurkinAction is not limited to the borders of the fold, no. For them, it is simplistic to limit themselves to the impact they have on the national territory and they are right to measure this on elastic milestones.
But before starting this vision...
Who is BurkinAction?
According to its founders, Burkinaction serves anyone who believes in positive change, in doing things together and wants to be part of the evolution of the status quo in the labor market.
“The ultimate goal is to inspire, and not necessarily the young Burkinabe, but anyone who believes very deeply in the point where he or she wants to take the plunge and inspire anyone who still doubts that doing it together is possible.”
BurkinAction was born from a desire to fill a void. A void indeed real because it was felt by its five founders, who did not all know each other before deciding to commit. According to Isaac Gouene, he had noticed that his friends often used him as a reference, as an elder, to guide the young brothers who had just finished their studies, towards job opportunities.
Based in Ouagadougou, BurkinAction is a professional and international network of young Burkinabé workers focused on employability as a lever for development in Burkina Faso. Created in 2016, the non-profit organization animates, online and offline a community of over 10,000 members including 7,000 in Burkina Faso, the rest among its diaspora and has more than thirty Burkinabé business partners. Resource site, conferences, thematic workshops, networking events, mentoring, professional support programs, BurkinAction federates energies, shares expertise, combines needs and adapts skills. BurkinAction is an apolitical think and do thank that is embodied in both reflection and action, guided by principles of sharing, excellence and sustainable development.
Indeed, it often happens that after studies, navigating the professional world can seem daunting. The support of a mentor could make the difference and this is where Burkinaction comes in. It is this creation of synergies between job seekers, employers, entrepreneurs, and mentors.
In 2020, Burkinaction went further with the Ouaga Job Challenge, in partnership with Tiers-Lieu Mahna. According to co-founder Edwige Ouédraogo:
“The advantage of being in 2020 is digitalization.
During the Ouaga Job challenge there was an accompaniment of 50 people, provided by consultants, who also made commentary on TV channels for 2 months, which were watched by tens of thousands of Burkinabé everywhere in Burkina Faso. So to say for example that the Ouaga job challenge was just impacting the youth of Ouaga, it’s simplistic for us. Burkinaction is really using innovation to bring their ideal and basically the advantage of being in 2020 is technology.”
OUAGA JOB CHALLENGE
350 applications, 50 selected applications, 20 finalists
30% of applications from the diaspora (Africa, France, China, United States)
30 partner companies
80% placement rate at the end of the program
Who participated?
Young people between: 18 and 30 years old, with a minimum of 2 years of higher education with profiles in Finance, Accounting, Auditing, Computer Science, Communication, Marketing, Commerce, Law and Human Resources. The organizers have selected available, motivated, dynamic individuals residing in Burkina Faso or abroad, looking for employment in Ouagadougou.
Who are they?
The particularity of this association is that its five founders are linked by a mission, although they all have their own specific activities.
Djellibah has the pleasure to introduce the five co-founders of BURKINACTION.
Edwige Ouédraogo
This certified public accountant is also a gifted entrepreneur who regales the city of Ouagadougou with her culinary and gastronomic blend through Yelkabée traiteur, an outstanding catering service specializing in innovative appetizers..
Roland Simporé
As the group's data scientist and visionary, he aims for change with great strides, but with realism. According to him, it is by aiming for the stars that we land on the moon. Passionate about sports, martial arts, and pedagogy, BurkinAction for Roland represents what he did not have access to when he was studying and entering the professional field. He is very active in the associations.
Olivier Ouoba
"Djoari" as his friends call him, is a leading financier with solid experience in France, the United States and America. He recently took the decision to devote himself entirely to BurkinAction, as its president. If you want to know more about Djoari, go see his Ted X Koulouba .
Isaac Gouène
He lives in England but his background is French, and his roots are in Burkina Faso. This experienced trader quickly noticed that his relatives were still looking to him to guide their careers after school, which motivated him to fill this need through BurkinAction.
Georges Damien
The IT specialist of the group is also the founder of FasoCompute, a platform that offers software development services, websites and mobile applications of the highest level, IT audit and consulting, IT support and maintenance, various IT services. He works in remote mode with clients located in Canada, USA, France and Ivory Coast, from Burkina Faso!
When we asked Georges what had been the most difficult, he answered us as follows:
“Start with the why. And you don’t ask questions anymore, in fact, you know why you’re doing it. We weren’t wondering whether it’s going to work or not, and we’ve always bet 100%, using our own resources. We don’t have any difficulties, we move forward, we take action, that’s all.”
Burkinaction features in this RFI clip :
So we end with a saying of Seneca on the Burkinaction web showcase. Let it compel you !
““It’s not because things are difficult that we don’t dare, it’s because we don’t dare that they are difficult.””
