Reconnecting young people affected by violence to their communities and transforming potential recruitment targets into active guardians of local peace.
The Challenge
Burkina Faso and Niger are ranked among the five countries most affected by terrorism globally according to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index. This results in massive displacement, with over 2.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burkina Faso and over 500,000 in Niger.
Young people who make up the vast majority of the population – over 77% in Burkina Faso and 81% in Niger – are directly affected by the insecurity, which has forced the closure of numerous schools and destroyed job opportunities.
The Project
Extremely Together in the Sahel addresses the deteriorating security situation in Niger and Burkina Faso by empowering young people, who are often marginalised from peacebuilding efforts, to prevent violence and promote social cohesion. Led by the Kofi Annan Foundation, Suudu Andal, and Cercle Dev, the project builds on the broader Extremely Together experience developed in other countries affected by violent extremism, including Somalia, Uganda, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
Objectives
By fostering a sense of belonging and equipping youth with tools for leadership and civic engagement, the project aims to reduce their vulnerability to recruitment by extremist groups and help them become drivers of peace in their communities.
In Niger, the project is implemented in the Tahoua region, which suffers from intercommunal conflicts and recurrent banditry, serving as a transit point for human and illicit trafficking towards bordering countries. In Burkina Faso, activities are conducted in the Northern region, specifically in Ouahigouya. It has the country’s second-highest unemployment rate and is a major hub for displaced populations, creating a high-pressure environment for local youth.
Country Partners
Extremely Together Sahel
Extremely Together Burkina Faso
Suudu Andal
In Burkina Faso, Suudu Andal has pursued its vision of contributing to a more just, inclusive, united, and prosperous world since 2016. Through its nationwide presence and volunteer network, Suudu Andal focuses on the leadership and empowerment of young people and women, and on their participation in peacebuilding and development. It has a strong mobilisation capacity and works with other associations and institutions at the local, national and international levels to amplify its impact.
Extremely Together Niger
Cercle Dev
Since 2016, Cercle Dev has been working to foster an active and responsible youth that creates added value in the Sahel. In a spirit of inclusion, innovation, and diverse partnerships, Cercle Dev’s network of more than 250 volunteers is particularly active in supporting rural and peri-urban populations in Niger living in precarious conditions. Through tea debates, forum theatre, community dialogue, professional training, mentoring and sport, Cercle Dev aims to harness local potential, empower young people to become agents of the change they aspire to and thus foster a local dynamic of development.
Funder
Projected Impact
Extremely Together in the Sahel
400
Local Impact: 400 young people—out-of-school, unemployed, or internally displaced—implementing 14 community projects that promote “togetherness.”
Capacity Building: 40 young leaders are trained to serve as mobilisers and lead peacebuilding efforts.
40
Policy Dialogue: Young people share lessons and present recommendations to local and regional decision-makers through regional symposiums and online exchanges.
More Regional Chapters
Publications + Media
Tackling Violent Extremism in Uganda: Lessons Learnt
Lessons Learnt from a Community Resilience Approach Violent extremism (VE) is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, bringing terror and instability to all sections of society. Today, there are fewer terrorist groups, but the nature and scale of attacks carried out by groups like the Allied Democratic Forces in Uganda are becoming […]
Preventing Violent Extremism: A Training Guide
Empowering young people to prevent violent extremism – A guide to help young activists train their peers on preventing violent extremism. Building on the experience and expertise we have accumulated through Extremely Together since 2016, the Kofi Annan Foundation has developed a training guide for young people on preventing violent extremism. Through this resource, we […]
Evaluation Report | Youth preventing violent extremism in urban South and Southeast Asia
The Kofi Annan Foundation is pleased to share the Evaluation Report for the “Leading the Way to Peace – Youth Together for Social Cohesion” project. This report summary presents the external evaluation findings by the Agency for Peacebuilding (AP) for the project. The “Leading the Way to Peace – Youth Together for Social Cohesion” project […]