Overview
Since independence from Belgium in 1961, Burundi has been scarred by conflict, making it the scene of one of Africa’s longest-running civil wars.
The country is now beginning to reap the dividends of a peace process but faces many challenges. The shattered economy and infrastructure need to be revived. Thousands of soldiers and former rebels must be disarmed. It is also crucial that the hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people are reintegrated into society.
Concern has been active in Burundi since 1997 and currently manages three projects in two of the country’s 17 provinces. Our work in Burundi focuses on health, nutrition, education and livelihoods. We are continuing to shift our focus from emergency-based support to long-term assistance.
Enabling people to make a living
Burundi is a small country with high population density and limited availability of arable land. 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming. Most farmers earn less than $1 a day.
In 2007, Concern provided support to 3,818 people in Kirundo, the poorest province in the country. The current Livelihood Security Project enables poor households to develop sustainable ways of making a living. It is directed at 6,760 people in the Bugabira and Busoni Communes.
Health
Burundi ranks 118th out of 118 on the Global Hunger Index and 169th out of 174 on the UN Human Development Index. Whilst malaria remains the country’s leading killer with two million new cases per year, high rates of HIV and AIDS and malnutrition continue to be recorded.
Child survival
Concern has piloted a number of projects with strong local community focus in Cibitoke Province, which benefited over 100,000 pregnant women and children under five. We are also preparing to launch a new Child Survival Programme. Targeted at 31,229 children in the Mabayi health district, the programme aims to directly tackle the cause of infant and child mortality by improving health and nutrition locally as well as within existing health facilities.
Education
The current education programme is dedicated to making it easier for children in Cibitoke Province to get a primary education. The programme is targeting 11,000 extremely poor out-of-school children, with a particular emphasis on those affected by HIV and AIDS. Click here to read a blog post about a visit to one of the schools we are assisting.
