The Self-Help Fund of the Embassy of the United States of America in Ouagadougou provides assistance for small grassroots projects. Requests for assistance come from local communities, in collaboration with the local development committee or local institutions or agencies responsible for development such as Peace Corps Volunteers or NGOs active in the field. The Self-Help Fund, in consideration of local development priorities, is currently used to finance projects that contribute to agro-pastoral, economic and social development.
The Self-Help Fund is limited to small contributions, which can only be used once and therefore cannot be allocated to long-term projects requiring ongoing funding. Projects aimed at a specific community must serve to improve the social and economic conditions of as many people as possible. One of the essential elements of any Self-Help project is the involvement of the local population in the funding and implementation of the project.
The Embassy's financial contribution is generally used to cover the cost of acquiring materials and equipment, and building materials; unskilled labour, local materials, assistance services and the transport of materials and equipment are generally provided by the local community.
Application deadline: 31 March each year
You can download the Funding Application Form for your French applications here.
Funding application form (PDF - 129 KB)