About BWEF
“When women thrive, all of society benefits and succeeding generations get a better start in life.”
Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General 1997-2006
Burkina Faso is one of the world’s poorest countries and among those with the lowest literacy rate. Less than 6% of Burkina’s young people are enrolled in universities. Very few girls get the chance to study beyond secondary school. BWEF is a small humanitarian organization led by Frederic Eckhard, BWEF Founding President. Using a network built up in Burkina Faso from 2009, he has put together an in-country team of volunteers to select the beneficiaries and to tend to their many needs.
Candidates from impoverished backgrounds are selected during Fred’s annual trip to Burkina Faso, with help from our partners on the ground. Currently, BWEF has 32 students enrolled in public and private universities and colleges in three Burkina cities: Ouagadougou, Bobo–Dioulasso and Koudougou. The average cost of a three-year degree course in Burkina Faso is about 1,000 euros a year and a Master’s up to 2,000 euros a year. In 2024-2025 BWEF will spend over 40,000€ on the higher education of 32 young women.
As well as funding tuition fees we provide help with housing, transport, lunch money, hygiene and health care. We also have a donation of used computers from a school district in France, from the UN in Geneva and from private firms in Geneva and the Netherlands. In a country with too few books, a computer is essential. All our efforts aim to build a network of young educated Burkina women so that they, in turn, can help other Burkina girls.
BWEF Boards
in France, Geneva and the United States
BWEF has gradually expanded over time as we came to understand that from modest beginnings, we are now helping to create a middle class in the impoverished sub-Saharan country through women’s education. After BWEF was set up in France in 2011, Fred’s son Jan started a sister association in the US, called Chance for Change. Then in 2018, Fred founded a BWEF branch in Geneva, Switzerland. All three organisations are registered as non-profit and tax-exempt charities in their home countries. In 2023 our national association BWEF Faso was set up to help carry out our work in Burkina Faso.
BWEF France
BWEF France
Chance for Change
BWEF Partners
BWEF exists thanks to essential assistance from our local partners who propose candidates for consideration, manage the administration and maintain contacts with students and graduates. They also take care of the girls’ personal needs to help them succeed in their studies. From 2023 our partners work with us through our Burkina association BWEF Faso.