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The way in which economic agents see their future is crucial in economic development, which relies both on their trust in their future and on their belief that their present investment will have a positive long-term impact. Formal insurance can reduce uncertainties about the future, but insurance is an underdeveloped sector in Sub-Saharan Africa. Several factors explain this, including time preferences (insurance reflects a certain preference for the future and not only a risk aversion) and social norms that can hinder individual economic success. While risk mitigation could contribute to development, the aforementioned social norms that favor or hinder the economic emancipation of individuals remain an obstacle in Burkina Faso and other countries in Africa.