Knowing the amount Caregiver are paid In Burkina Faso is very important especially those that wish to do the job. Caregiving jobs is one of the most essential task that the salary should be given attention not only in Burkina Faso. The essential analysis has been provided here on the average salary Of A Caregiver In Burkina Faso.
Becoming a caregiver in Burkina Faso is not an easy job, and it’s definitely not a high-paying one. It’s the kind of work that shows up quietly, in homes and hospital corners, far away from cameras and contracts. Whether it’s an aunt bathing her elderly father or a young girl paid to look after someone else’s grandmother, caregiving in Burkina Faso runs on love, endurance, and often, very little cash.
So, how much does a caregiver actually earn here? What does “salary” even mean in a system that doesn’t really recognize the job in the first place? Let’s break it down not just in numbers, but in real-life truth.
Who’s Doing the Caregiving Job in Burkina Faso?
In Burkina Faso, caregiving isn’t some formal, medical position you apply for. It’s a life role. Most caregivers are Women (young, old, married, single, it doesn’t matter), Girls who didn’t finish school, Or relatives simply “expected” to step in when someone falls sick.
In rural areas, it’s completely informal, no contracts, no guarantees, no promises. In urban zones like Ouagadougou or Bobo-Dioulasso, you’ll find a few more structured roles, sometimes paid, often under-the-table.
What’s The Average Salary Of A Caregiver Living In Burkina Faso
Caregivers in Burkina Faso are some of the most underpaid workers in the country. Here’s a rough idea of what the money looks like:
Family-based are mostly unpaid, Mostly done out of obligation and love
Private household (rural) is usually 15,000 – 30,000 $25 – $50 Often includes chores like cooking and cleaning
Private household (urban) usually 35,000 – 60,000 which is equivalent to $58 – $100. More duties, sometimes live-in roles
NGO or clinic-based is usually 70,000 – 100,000+ which is equivalent to $115 – $165+ Very rare, typically short-term contracts. Even the “high” end doesn’t go far when you factor in food prices, rent, and basic survival.
Check also: Visa Sponsorship jobs in Burkina Faso for foreigners
Sometimes the Pay Of A Caregiver Living In Burkina Faso Isn’t Even Money
Especially in villages or low-income neighborhoods, caregivers might not be paid in cash at all. Instead, they’re given a bag of rice per month, Daily meals, a place to stay, or small items like soap or second-hand clothes. It’s called “payment in kind,” and while it helps, it doesn’t pay the bills.
Where You Live In Burkina Faso Changes Everything
If you are living in the countryside expect less pay and more work. If you’re living in the city there’s a better chance of earning actual cash but also a higher cost of living. Most urban caregivers are expected to cook, clean, watch children, and care for elders, all under the “caregiver” title, but with the responsibilities of three jobs.
No Training? No Problem (But Also a Problem)
The vast majority of caregivers in Burkina Faso have no formal training. They rely on instinct, experience, and maybe tips from a nurse if they’re lucky. There’s no national certification program. If you’re good at your job, it’s because you learned by doing,nnot because you were taught how to do it.
And since there’s no professional recognition, the salary stays low. Employers see you as “help” not as skilled labor.
So Why Do People Still Do It?
For many, there’s no choice. Caregiving is a survival job. If you can’t go to school or find office work, caregiving is one of the few ways to earn something, just anything to feed your family. For others, it’s family. If your father’s sick or your aunt has a disability, you step in. No one asks. You just do it. But either way, whether you’re doing it out of heart or necessity, the rewards are rarely financial.
Caregivers In Burkina Faso Really Deserve More
The people who bathe the elderly, carry the sick, calm the anxious, and change adult diapers are not “just helpers.” They are emotional first responders. And yet, they’re left out of the economy like their labor doesn’t count. In Burkina Faso, caregivers need more than thanks. They need:
- Fair pay
- Legal protection
- Training opportunities
- And most of all, recognition
In Summary
1. Most caregivers in Burkina Faso are paid far below a living wage.
2. Many are women working in informal, sometimes exploitative roles.
3. Payment is inconsistent and often not even in cash.
4. There’s no formal structure or government support yet.
5. Caregiving is essential but invisible in the country’s job landscape.
Legal Protections for Caregivers in Burkina Faso
What the system says, what it skips, and what caregivers are left to figure out on their own.
Let’s start with the truth that most caregivers in Burkina Faso already know which is “You can give everything, and still not be protected by anything.” That’s because the legal landscape for caregivers here is thin at best, invisible at worst. Whether you’re wiping a fevered brow in a dusty village or managing medications for an elder in Ouagadougou, the law doesn’t do much to shield you if things go wrong.
Informal Caregiving Has Zero Legal Status
Most caregivers in Burkina Faso are informal, they’re unregistered, uncontracted, and completely off the government’s radar. Whether you’re helping a relative or working inside someone else’s home, there’s often no paperwork, no job title, no backup. So when abuse, nonpayment, or exploitation happens, there’s no legal route to file a complaint or demand justice.
Domestic Worker Laws Kind of Apply
The closest thing to legal protection is through the labor laws covering domestic workers. And yes, many caregivers fall into this category especially those working in private households. But even these protections are minimal, poorly enforced, and vague about care-specific duties. For example, a live-in caregiver might legally be due a day off each week, a minimum wage, or rest hours but only if the employer chooses to follow the rules. Most don’t. And because it’s a private home, no one checks.
There’s No Standard Contract For Caregiver
Caregivers are rarely given written agreements. So if you start out earning 50,000 CFA a month and your employer suddenly decides to cut that in half or make you work extra hours, you have no legal proof to challenge them. It’s your word against theirs, and let’s be honest, in a country with high poverty and low regulation, employers usually win.
What If a Caregiver Is Abused?
In theory, Burkina Faso has human rights laws and general labor protections that apply to everyone including caregivers. Abuse, sexual harassment, or physical harm is illegal. But in practice most caregivers don’t report abuse, because they fear losing their job or worse, they live in the same home as their employer and have nowhere else to go and even if they did report it, access to justice is expensive, confusing, and slow.
There’s No Health Insurance, No Safety Net
There’s no national caregiver support scheme. If you get injured on the job, like lifting a patient, for example, you cover your own medical bills. If you fall ill, you lose days of pay or worse, the job itself. If you burn out, no one steps in to help. You’re the safety net for others but no one is the safety net for you.
Conclusion
In Burkina Faso, caregiving isn’t just a job. It’s a quiet act of daily survival, often done behind closed doors, with hands that carry more than just weight, they carry entire families. Whether it’s an aging father who needs help bathing, a child with a chronic illness, or a woman paid barely enough to live while taking care of someone else’s home and health, caregiving is everywhere, yet almost nowhere in official records.
These are people doing real work such as lifting, cleaning, cooking, comforting, watching, waiting and doing it all with almost no training, no insurance, no contracts, and no cushion to fall back on. Their average salary is usually modest at best. Their legal protection is Fragile, if it even exists at all and yet they keep going. They keep giving care, even when they’re not cared for in return.
If there’s one truth we can’t ignore, it’s this Caregivers in Burkina Faso are holding up a broken system with bare hands. They deserve more than survival wages and soft applause. They deserve pay that reflects their labor. They deserve laws that see them. They deserve rest, recognition, and a voice at the table because in a world that relies so heavily on care, it’s time we actually cared for the caregivers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do caregivers in Burkina Faso usually get paid?
Yes, but not always in cash, and not always fairly. Many family caregivers do it out of obligation with no pay at all. Those working in private homes may receive small monthly wages, and sometimes just food or shelter instead of money.
2. What’s the average monthly salary for a caregiver in Burkina Faso?
For informal caregivers working in households, the average pay ranges from 15,000 to 60,000 CFA francs per month (roughly $25 to $100 USD). NGO-supported roles may pay more, up to 100,000 CFA ($165 USD) but those jobs are rare and short-term.
3. Are caregivers in Burkina Faso protected by law?
Technically, yes, but only in the most basic way. If you’re considered a “domestic worker,” you have minimal protection under the labor code. But enforcement is weak, contracts are rare, and many caregivers don’t know their rights or how to claim them.
4. Can caregivers ask for better pay or working conditions?
In theory, yes. But in practice, most caregivers fear losing the job if they ask for more. Especially when there’s no contract involved, everything relies on the goodwill of the employer not a legal agreement.
5. Is caregiving in Burkina Faso seen as a real profession?
Not really. It’s often viewed as something women just “do” especially within families. Even when it’s a paid job, it’s not treated with the same respect or seriousness as other work, which is why the pay remains so low.
6. Are there any formal caregiver training programs in Burkina Faso?
There are no widespread national programs. Some NGOs offer workshops or short-term training, but most caregivers learn through experience, not education. There’s no certification system that boosts salary or job status
7. What happens if a caregiver gets injured or falls sick on the job?
In most cases, they’re on their own. There’s no health insurance or official support. If you’re working for a kind employer, they might help but legally, there’s nothing guaranteed.
8. Do male caregivers exist in Burkina Faso?
Yes, but they’re few. Caregiving here is still largely considered “women’s work,” especially in private households. When men do take on caregiving roles, it’s usually in hospital or NGO settings, and even then, they’re more often in supervisory or medical positions.
9. Is there any kind of caregiver union or support group?
There are some small domestic worker unions and community-based organizations that advocate for rights but most caregivers don’t know about them or have access. There’s no official caregiver body yet that speaks for this group on a national level.
10. Can caregiving lead to better opportunities in the future?
It can but it’s not guaranteed. Some caregivers use the job to build trust, gain experience, or get referred for better roles, like working in a clinic or for an NGO. But without formal recognition or training, upward movement is slow and uncertain.
Related Post
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver Living In Venezuela
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver In Cameroon
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver In Cote D’Ivoire
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver In Saudi Arabia
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver Living In Argentina
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver living in Algeria
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver Living In Spain
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver Living In Colombia
- Average Salary Of A Caregiver Living In South Korea
