What animals live in Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, and it has some remarkable wildlife roaming its savannas and rivers. You can find elephants, lions, hippos, crocodiles, and leopards living there — along with hundreds of species of birds like the beautiful African fish eagle. The W National Park, which Burkina Faso shares with two neighboring countries, is one of the best places in West Africa to spot these animals in the wild. Warthogs trot across the dry grasslands, baboons climb the rocky hillsides, and majestic African buffalo move in large herds. It is a land full of life — and full of people whom God loves and who need to hear about Jesus.

What do kids eat in Burkina Faso?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! In Burkina Faso, many kids eat a thick porridge called 'tô' made from millet or sorghum grain. It is filling and hearty, and families often eat it together from a shared bowl using their hands. Rusty loves this part — tô is usually served with a sauce made from vegetables, peanuts, or dried fish. Mangoes and tamarind fruit are popular sweet treats when they are in season. Food can be hard to find in some parts of Burkina Faso, so a good meal is something many families are truly grateful to God for.

How do people say hello in Burkina Faso?

Great question for any explorer! In Burkina Faso, the official language is French, so you might hear 'Bonjour' (bone-ZHOOR), which means 'Good day.' But there are over 60 local languages spoken there too, so greetings change depending on where you are in the country. In Mooré, the language of the Mossi people — the largest group in Burkina Faso — a common greeting is 'Ne y windiga?' which roughly means 'How are you?' Greetings there are taken seriously. People often stop, shake hands, and ask about each other's families before getting to business. That kind of care for others is something missionaries love, because it opens doors to share the gospel and build real friendships.

What sports or games do kids play in Burkina Faso?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Burkina Faso love football — what you might call soccer — more than just about anything else. You'll find boys and girls kicking a ball around on dusty open fields, often using a bundle of rags tied together if a real ball isn't available. It's the sport that brings neighborhoods together. Beyond football, kids play a popular board game called Wari — sometimes spelled Oware — where you move small stones or seeds around carved cups in a wooden board, trying to capture your opponent's pieces. It takes real strategy and sharp thinking! Children also love running races, skipping, and storytelling games passed down from grandparents. Some of these games have been played in West Africa for hundreds of years.

What's the weather like in Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso is one of the hottest countries on earth! It sits right in a dry region of West Africa called the Sahel, where the great Sahara Desert begins to fade into grasslands. Most of the year the sun beats down hard, and temperatures can climb above 100°F (38°C). The country has two main seasons — a long dry season and a short rainy season. The rains usually come between June and September, and farmers depend on them deeply to grow sorghum and millet, the grain crops that feed most families. When the rains are thin, food becomes scarce, which makes life very hard for people there. That's one reason missionaries and local churches work so hard to serve communities across the country while sharing the good news of Jesus.

Tell me a fun fact about Burkina Faso.

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, and its name actually means 'Land of Upright People' — that comes from two different local languages, Mooré and Dioula, blended together when the country was renamed in 1984. Not many countries have a name that works as a motto at the same time! Rusty wants to add this: Burkina Faso is known for some of the most colorful and detailed cloth weaving in all of Africa. Weavers there create a fabric called 'faso dan fani,' using hand-operated looms to make bright striped patterns that have been passed down through families for generations. It's one of those crafts where you can see real skill and tradition woven right into everyday life.

What is school like for kids in Burkina Faso?

In Burkina Faso, school is a real adventure — but also a big challenge. Many children walk a long way just to reach their classroom, sometimes an hour or more on dusty roads. Classes can be crowded, with many kids sharing just a few books, and lessons are taught in French, even though most children speak a different language at home. Some children, especially girls and kids in poorer villages, never get to finish school at all because their families need help with work or simply cannot afford the fees. That means many people in Burkina Faso grow up without being able to read — which also makes it harder for them to read the Bible. That is one reason missionaries and local Christians work hard to teach people to read and to share God's Word in languages people already know and love.

Who are the unreached people in Burkina Faso?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Burkina Faso has many people groups who have never really heard the good news about Jesus. Some of the biggest unreached groups are the Fulani, the Mossi who follow Islam, the Bwa, and the Bobo people. 'Unreached' means that fewer than 2 out of every 100 people in that group follow Jesus, and there usually aren't enough local Christians to share the gospel with everyone else. Rusty wants to add something important — many of these groups speak languages that don't even have the whole Bible translated yet, which makes it really hard for them to read God's Word for themselves. The Fulani, for example, are cattle-herding people spread across many countries in West Africa, and most have never met a Christian or heard why Jesus came to earth. That's exactly why missionaries travel to Burkina Faso — to learn these languages, build friendships, and tell people the news that Jesus died and rose again so that anyone who trusts Him can be forgiven and know God.

How can I pray for the people of Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa where many people have never heard the true gospel of Jesus. You can start by praying that God opens hearts across the country — in villages, cities, and marketplaces — so that people hear who Jesus really is and trust Him as their Savior. There is also real danger there for Christians right now. Some believers in Burkina Faso face threats and violence because they follow Jesus, and some areas have very few Bibles or no churches at all. Pray that persecuted believers stay strong and courageous, that local Christian leaders rise up to teach and shepherd their communities, and that missionaries find safe, open doors to share the gospel where it has never reached.

What is a holiday or celebration in Burkina Faso?

One of the biggest celebrations in Burkina Faso is the FESPACO film festival, held every two years in the capital city, Ouagadougou. It draws filmmakers and visitors from all across Africa to watch and celebrate African-made films. The streets fill with music, food vendors, and excitement — it is one of the largest film festivals on the entire continent. Burkina Faso is also home to many different people groups, and each one has its own traditional festivals tied to harvests, storytelling, and music. The Mossi people, the largest group in the country, celebrate events with drumming and dancing that have been passed down for generations. Christians in Burkina Faso also celebrate Easter and Christmas, marking the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus — which is the greatest story ever told and the reason missionaries work so hard to share the gospel there.

What language do people speak in Burkina Faso?

Burkina Faso is a place full of languages! The official language — the one used in schools and government — is French, left over from when France once ruled the country. But most people speak their own local language at home and in their villages. In fact, Burkina Faso has more than 60 different languages spoken across the country. Some of the most common ones are Mooré, Dioula, and Fulfuldé. This is one reason Bible translation is such important work — many of those languages still need parts of the Bible written in words people truly understand in their hearts.

What's a famous place to visit in Burkina Faso?

One of the most well-known places in Burkina Faso is the city of Ouagadougou — locals just call it 'Ouaga' for short! It is the capital city, and it sits right in the middle of the country on a flat, dry savanna landscape. The Grande Mosquée, a large mosque in the city, is one of the most recognized buildings there. Burkina Faso also has a special natural landmark called the Sindou Peaks — tall, jagged rock formations that rise up from the ground like giant stone fins. They are in the southwestern part of the country and have been important to the local Senoufo people for generations. As you explore this land, remember that many people here have not yet heard the good news about Jesus, which makes it a very important place for missionaries.

Burkina Faso — Kids Missions Explorer

African Elephant

Burkina Faso's national symbol is the elephant, and small herds still roam protected reserves in the southern part of the country.

Nile Crocodile

In the village of Bazoulé, sacred crocodiles live in a pond alongside people and have done so peacefully for generations, a sight unlike almost anywhere else on earth.

African Fish Eagle

This sharp-eyed raptor hunts along the rivers and reservoirs of Burkina Faso, diving feet-first to snatch fish from the water.

Tô

Tô is a thick, smooth porridge made from millet or sorghum flour that most families in Burkina Faso eat every single day, scooped up with a sauce of leafy greens or peanuts.

Riz Gras

Riz gras, which means 'fat rice,' is a one-pot dish of rice cooked with tomatoes, onions, and meat that fills the air with a rich, savory smell at celebrations and market days.

Dolo

Dolo is a traditional fermented drink brewed from red sorghum by women in villages across the country, and buying it at a roadside stall is a common part of daily community life.

Burkina Faso

Things you should know about Burkina Faso

Wildlife you might meet

What’s on the table

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Life in Burkina Faso

Missions in Burkina Faso

Pray for Burkina Faso