Place des Cinéastes, Ouagadougou
Rural Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou Cathedral
Pride & Solidarity
Geography
Where Is the Sahel?
The Sahel is a 5,400-kilometer belt stretching across sub-Saharan Africa — a transition zone between the Sahara Desert and the savanna. Home to over 150 million people, it has become the world's most urgent humanitarian frontier.
Climate stress, governance failures, and the rise of violent terrorism have converged here in ways that demand global attention and sustained investment.
The Crisis
A Region at the
Breaking Point
4M+
Internally displaced people across the Sahel belt
6,000+
Schools closed due to insecurity in Burkina Faso alone
#1
Epicenter of global terrorism, per Global Terrorism Index (GTI)
10M
Children in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in dire need of humanitarian assistance
The Opportunity
A Young Region
Ready to Rise
The Sahel is not a story of despair — it is a story of unrealized potential. The same demographics that create fragility also create the conditions for transformation.
🌱 Youth Majority
65% of the population is under 30 — one of the youngest regions on Earth, ready for leadership and change
📚 Education as Intervention
Education is the single highest-leverage intervention for breaking cycles of poverty and conflict
🤝 Local Knowledge
Communities possess deep resilience and social capital — solutions must be led from within, not imposed from outside
"The future of the Sahel will be built by those who grew up in it — not by those who flew in to fix it."
Fr. Barthélémy Bazemo
President, Sahel Peace Foundation
$10M +
to be raised for peace training programs
2026
Bishops Delegation from Conference Episcopale Burkina Niger in Washington, DC
120
SPU Inaugural Students Enrolled
This is a global effort
How You Can Engage
Donors
Your contribution funds scholarships, programs, and operations on the ground across the Sahel. Every dollar reaches students who need it most.
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Volunteers
Educators, researchers, and professionals can contribute skills and expertise remotely or in-person. We match your talents to active needs.
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Institutions
Universities, foundations, and governments can forge formal partnerships to scale impact across Ten Nations and 150 million people.
CONTACT US
Let's Build Peace Together
Whether you're interested in supporting our mission, exploring a partnership, volunteering your expertise, or learning more about Sahel Peace University, we'd love to hear from you. Complete the form, and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.