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Mahamadou Bonkoungou, chairman and chief executive of the EBOMAF Group, has donated relief materials worth 1.722 billion CFA francs ($2.8 million) to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable host communities in Dédougou, the capital of Mouhoun Province in Burkina Faso’s Boucle du Mouhoun region.
The humanitarian gesture, made Monday at Martyrs’ Square, came in response to President Ibrahim Traoré’s call for national solidarity amid a growing security crisis that has uprooted thousands across the country.
The donation included 120 metric tons of rice—70% earmarked for displaced families and 30% for local residents—400 tents capable of housing 20 people each, 500 solar-powered sanitation units (with showers, toilets, and washbasins), and 120 water boreholes, 100 of which will serve IDPs while the remaining 20 go to host communities.
“This is more than assistance; it is an act of profound humanity,” said Professor Stanislas Ouaro, who represented Bonkoungou at the event. “It’s a reminder that solidarity is both a duty and a commitment to a shared future.”
Local leaders praised the initiative for its scale and impact. “Beyond the large amount, these contributions are priceless to us,” said Souleymane Nakanabo, representing the regional governor. Dieudonné Tougfo, president of the special delegation in Dédougou, called the donation “an immense relief” for beneficiaries.
Under the shade of the newly erected tents, gratitude poured in from recipients. “Thank you to PDG Bonkoungou. May God bless you,” one said.
In mid-July, a serious security incident took place just outside Dédougou, in Burkina Faso’s Boucle du Mouhoun region. On July 11, jihadist militants from Jama’at Nasr al‑Islam wa al‑Muslimin (JNIM) ambushed a Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie (VDP) patrol near Ouarkoye—some 30–40 km from Dédougou—killing 16 VDP members and destroying 21 motorcycles . This attack highlights the growing reach of Islamist armed groups in the region, which has suffered mounting insecurity in recent months.
Bonkoungou, a native of Dédougou, has long been recognized for his philanthropy. As chairman of EBOMAF—short for Entreprise Bonkoungou Mahamadou et Fils—he oversees a conglomerate with interests spanning construction, logistics, aviation, finance, and hospitality. The group is one of West Africa’s largest privately held companies and a key player in regional infrastructure projects.
