The United Nations’ fourth Sustainable Development Goal is to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. With this goal in mind, Devxchange’s Burundi Education Project aims to equip children in Burundi with the life-changing tool of education.

What is the Burundi Education Project?

Established to help poor students attend high school in their native country, the Burundi Education Fund was unable to support students due to political upheavals in 2015 and 2016. Over half of the Burundian refugee population is comprised of children, a heartbreaking statistic that strengthened our mission to provide education and a path forward.

Primary goals of the Burundi Education Project

Under the Burundi Education Project, our primary goals are to:

• Send as many children refugees as possible to school, papying for school fees, uniforms
• Feed the children at school to allow them to study
• Loan seed money to families in order to sustain themselves in the long term
• Supplement food money to the most low-income families for the children
• Build schools in Mahama (Rwanda) and Nakivale (Uganda) Refugee Camps

While the project was initially created to help in Burundi, Devxchange’s efforts are now being directed towards the refugee children residing in Rwanda and Uganda.

The Devxchange impact: visiting the children

Devxchange visited Burundian refugee families in the capital cities of Kigali in Rwanda and Kampala in Uganda. A majority were in Mahama and Nakivale refugee camps, while some sought refuge in urban shelters. We quickly found that access to basic education and literacy was cut off for the children, as most schools charge a fee that refugee families cannot afford. 

Looking for the most effective way to provide support, Devxchange decided to provide funding to help the children with their tuition fees, as well as implementing a breakfast and lunch program providing hot meals for the school week. 

At the beginning of the program, children were encouraged to eat anywhere you find a spot! As we continued to refine the program in the following weeks, students were happy to have tables and benches to eat on.

Important post-pandemic updates

In January 2022, to help kids who weren’t able to attend school during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Burundi Education Project installed a tent, hired a teacher and put 23 students in one general classroom. All students were very successful and invested in their studies, and progressed from grade 1 to grade 2.

Our team member, Melody, shares her experience: 

“The Kids are adorable! On their way to eat lunch, I asked if anyone was willing to share their meal with me, everybody raised their hands.”

in July and August 2022, the project acquired land and permission to build elementary and high schools near Mahama Refugee Camp in Rwanda and in the Nakivale Refugee Camp in Uganda. Students whose parents are unable to cover tuition will attend school for free.

Between January to November 2022, we spent 13,000 CAD on the program to feed 100 students. Parents who cook were paid 3,000 CAD. This year we are spending more as food prices continue to increase, and cooks want increased pay to be able to provide for their families. 

This 2023 school year, the catch-up program continues and has 29 enrolled children.  

Changing lives through education

The Burundi Education Project shows the power that learning has to change lives. 

With  the chance to learn, the children we work with are better able to support themselves and gain access to opportunities that elevate them out of conditions of poverty and strife.

Every child counts, and we thank our generous donors for allowing us to support our future changemakers. 

Want to help change lives? Learn more about the Burundi Education Project and what you can do here.