(Just to put it in perspective, the UK has taken in about 277 000 refugees, or less than 0.5% of its population. The 365 000 in Burkina Faso is about an 3% increase in the population size.)

The reason is that these are refugees in their own country. They are people who, although owning a Burkina passport, have often never set foot in Burkina. They were working in comparatively wealthy neighbour Cote d'Ivoire on cocoa plantations or as traders or nightguards, in order to send money back to help their families back in Burkina. Almost every other family I know around Gorom counted on that income to help tide them over. Now the conflict in Cote d'Ivoire has been an excuse for some to target and scapegoat the Burkinabe there, and they have had to flee, often forced to leave everything they possess.

Now, not only has Burkina lost this much-needed help from its own people, but also families have extra mouths to feed.

Paradoxically, it is the very generosity and hospitality of the Burkinabe that has robbed them of international help. There are no refugee camps, for the refugees are taken in by family or even by strangers. So it is not seen as a humanitarian crisis.

Burkina is asking for $34m in help - small change when compared with the much-needed $183m for the 200 000 Darfur refugees in Chad. The prime goal of this $34 would be employment, helping these evidently motivated workers who have lost their jobs to start again through small loans. The other main goal would be ensuring returning children would be able to continue with their schooling.

In "my" area in the north of Burkina - the least developed part of the country, this year will be harder than usual. The loss of much-needed support and increase in mouths to feed is made worse again by the harvest failure due to the locusts. We are working with the World Food Programme to help with food aid through schools

Read more about the refugee situation at AllAfrica.com