CONTEXT

Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, persistently falling in to the bottom five countries on the UN Human Development Index with an estimated 1.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

Despite the Government of Burundi’s strong focus on education and its policy of free basic education – which has led to a significant increase in school enrolment rate in the last decade – an estimated half a million children remain out of school. This number comprises almost one-quarter of children aged 6-14. Extreme poverty, as well as family conflicts and child abuse, have also pushed thousands of children to the street. While the Government authorities regularly return children to their communities, without family mediation and livelihoods support, most of these children return to the street.

What We Do

Since 2016, Street Child has been working with local partner Famille Maintenant (FAMA) to support the economic needs of the local Batwa community so that they are better able to care for their children and send them to school.

One of the most disadvantaged groups in Burundi, the minority Batwa are an indigenous ethnic group found in pockets across central Africa. Traditionally landless, the Batwa often find themselves at the margins of society, discriminated against and forced in to low paid work. 70% of Batwa adults are illiterate and in the communities where we work 30% of Batwa children are not in education.

EMPOWERING FAMILIES

Our livelihoods programming currently focuses on Muyinga province in the north east of the country supporting Batwa families to improve their food security. More recently we have introduced Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) to 180 women-headed households, to strengthen their financial position. Membership of this program has allowed parents to send more of their children to school and to receive medical care. It has also increased women’s empowerment and helped create a greater sense of community in Muyinga.

We will soon be launching a pilot of our Family Business for Education model with 50 of those caregivers and will support others with equipment grants to start or grow an income-generating activity. We also plan to use this model to support the reintegration of out-of-school children back into education, included street-connected children.