Social enterprises as effective exit strategies for development NGOs: the case of Bilada in Burkina Faso

This article discusses the capacity of NGOs to develop and implement relevant and effective exit strategies. In other words, how an NGO can disengage from their interventions in the recipient country in a manner consistent with the goal of ensuring local sustainable development. In this context, we are interested in the exit strategy implemented by the Antenna Foundation in Burkina Faso, a country often seen as the laboratory of NGOs in Africa. This strategy included the handover of a nation-wide water sanitation and hygiene program to a social enterprise - an organisation, purposed to benefit the community that values autonomy and economic risk-taking related to ongoing socio-economic activity. Led by a local entrepreneur, the social enterprise benefited from the favourable market conditions created by the NGOs program activities and active advocacy for government support. Equally, the social enterprise leveraged its roots in the local ecosystem and used its entrepreneurial prerogative to take appropriate risks and adapt the business’ strategy. These factors were critical to ensuring the enterprises viability post-NGOs disengagement and capacity to sustainably promote local development, by supplying water treatment and hygiene solutions in Burkina Faso.