Burkina Faso: Lent and the high cost of living: the government launches operation Faso Yaar to help the most vulnerable
Ouagadougou – As millions of Christians observe fasting and Muslims observe Lent, Burkina Faso’s government has extended a helping hand to the most modest households. On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at Ouagadougou’s Zone d’Activités Diverses (ZAD) “Mixed-use business Area”, Industry, Trade and Craft Minister Serge Poda officially launched a special operation to sell essential goods through the new state-owned company Faso Yaar.
Facing soaring market prices, this government initiative arrives at a crucial moment to ease daily burdens on vulnerable populations, particularly strained during this period of spiritual abstinence.
At the pilot Faso Yaar store in ZAD, consumers can now purchase essential items at regulated prices, significantly below traditional commercial rates.
The new store’s shelves feature strategic household products including cotton and soybean oil, sugar, and local juices.
The government’s objective is clear: make expensive living more accessible by offering consumer goods at controlled costs while combating speculative practices by certain merchants.
This “special Lent” operation carries particular symbolic weight. During this period when families tighten belts for spiritual reasons, the state reminds citizens that national solidarity remains strong.
For many capital households, these sales points represent a lifeline amid economic challenges marked by inflation and security concerns.
The Faso Yaar initiative extends beyond simple commerce. It embodies authorities’ determination to regulate markets and protect Burkinabe purchasing power.
By offering products at fair prices, the government hopes to create a ripple effect compelling informal sector actors to align their rates.
As Lenten fasting calls for sharing and compassion, this public action resonates as an outstretched hand toward the most vulnerable layers of the society.
Attention now turns to whether this system can expand to other localities, ensuring this announced solidarity becomes a genuine social shield for all Burkinabè rather than merely an urban initiative.
Olivier TOE
