In late August, Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa, took a bold step by taking control of two gold mines from Endeavour Mining, a big company based in London. This move highlights a bigger issue in Africa, where many countries are rich in natural resources like gold, yet still struggle with poverty. In fact, Burkina Faso is the fourth-largest gold producer in Africa.

A report from SwissAid, a charity organization, revealed that in 2022, a staggering 435 tons of gold, worth about $35 ...