Burundi

A Time for Reflection

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 21:58:00 +0000

April 6, 1994 marked the beginning of Burundi’s 14 year civil war. Now, several years after the final peace agreement was signed, Burundi has entered a period of recovery and reconstruction.

Restoration. Recovery. Reconciliation.

These words reflect a return to something that was lost in the conflict. They also point our attention to a future hope. A future built by survivors, founded on forgiveness. By community members who are committed to building peace while building schools. To community partners who are promoting hope while promoting education.

At a staff retreat a few years ago, a pastor joined the FH Burundi staff and shared words of encouragement about the life of Christ. He reminded us of the environment that Christ was born into- a world of political unrest, where uprisings led to great brutality and the displacement of thousands- was not too far from the experiences of many Burundians.

As a child, Jesus was a refugee in Egypt. As a young adult he worked as a carpenter to care for the needs of his family. He knew what it meant to be hungry. He knew what it meant to have family responsibilities. He knew what it meant to live without a home, to receive death threats. And yet... he was a peacemaker.

Burundians have known political unrest, suffered from violence and been displaced, worked long hours to care for family members and many have gone to bed hungry. Yet despite all of this, Burundians are continuing to work toward peace and they are achieving it.

At this time we are reminded that Christ knows the struggles of working and living in community and he knows how difficult it can be to live as a peacemaker. But he has called us to it. And he is equipping us for it.

This month, please join us in remembering and honoring those lost in past violence, and in praying for ongoing reconciliation.

Healthy Gardens Grow Healthy Children

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 22:16:00 +0000

"We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the foundation of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made and his senses are being developed.  To him we cannot answer "Tomorrow". His name is "Today"."  Gabriela Mistral, 1948

A children’s first five years are critical to their development and future success. Adequate nutrition ensures proper brain development, strengthens immunity, promotes physical growth and strength, and develops good eating habits that children carry on to adulthood.

In Burundi, the World Health Organization has reported that more than one in three children under age 5 are underweight. Additionally, more than half of Burundi’s young children are suffering from stunted growth due to poor nutrition.
The United Nations Children’s Fund has reported Burundi’s under-5 mortality rank to be one of the highest in the world, as malnutrition and diarrhea claim numerous children’s lives.
We know that these deaths are preventable. We know that Burundian communities are strong, and that Burundian parents are committed to love and provide for their children.
This is why we have begun to work with mothers who are leaders in their communities, training them in nutrition education.
Mothers are becoming community educators, spreading health messages and good nutrition practices to their neighbors.
Our children’s futures begins today, and their mothers recognize the importance of their roles as caregivers, teachers, and community leaders.

The mothers call themselves Abitanga, or “people who give themselves”. They are giving their time to impact their communities, their children.

We celebrate the recent training of 73 mothers who are leading their communities in trainings. In the coming months, the Abitanga are planning to train over
1000 mothers in their communities about combating malnutrition and implementing good nutrition practices in the home.

In Pictures:
Right- FH staff member, Kenaz, measures and weighs primary school children to assess growth

Left- Mothers learn how to make a sack garden

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:02:00 +0000

President Nkurunziza's speech- Sept. 23, 2009

(pictured here with FH Burundi Country Director, Yves Habumugisha)

FH Burundi welcomes President Pierre Nkurunziza

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:21:00 +0000

RUYIGI, Burundi- On September 23 Burundi's President, Pierre Nkurunziza came to visit the FH Returnee Reintegration Program. Staff members were able to update the President on the progress of the program, and the changes that returnees are experiencing in their daily lives as a result of partnership with FH Burundi.

As the number of returnees supported by FH programs has recently doubled, so have our efforts. Activities now include infrastructure support and job creation through the construction of schools and development of community tree nurseries, animal restocking, environmental education, skill capacity building and training focused on community income generation in "off-farm" activities. Food security remains a priority and as a result FH also remains committed to agriculture support.

Moving On, Moving Home: Soldiers return to civilian life

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:11:00 +0000

Last month marked the end of the Burundian government’s disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) program with former combatants. The first stage, lasting from September to December 2008, helped to reintegrate 26, 283 former soldiers from 6 rebel groups.

(Left: These boys recently returned to Burundi. While not soldiers, they're considered a vulnerable group at the targeted age for child combatants. Their community, together with FH, are building a school.)

The most recent phase, beginning in April of this year and ending this month, has demobilized 16, 948 ex-combatants from the National Liberation Forces (FNL), the remaining rebel group.

Despite this effort, returning to civilian life is difficult, as former soldiers face amplified social and economic challenges. Land is scarce. Healthcare is limited. Unemployment is high. In recent days, hundreds of former rebels from Burundi are being recruited to join Hutu rebel group FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), the ethnic driven militia responsible for the Rwandan genocide in 1994.

Promised diamonds, gold and a fight for their ethnicity, some of the Burundian demobilized soldiers are returning to war, this time across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While some of the demobilized soldiers are returning to combat, many are striving to regain a civilian lifestyle. Hardest hit, are youth who were once child soldiers and have now, due to social and economic hardship, resorted to living on the streets of Bujumbura, Burundi’s capital city. In the last 5 years over 3,000 child soldiers have been demobilized through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Food for the Hungry Burundi has been conducting research in Bujumbura and its outlying villages determining the linkages between former child combatants, economic poverty, and street children. Believing in evidence-based practice, our hope is that this research will inform and direct future programming.

Many of the demobilized soldiers are returning to areas in which we are already working to help returnee communities as they move back after years of displacement. FH is beginning a new phase in our programming as we work with returnees. In the last year our partner communities, who are returning home, beginning livelihoods, building schools, and receiving agricultural and job training, have doubled. The reintegration of former combatants offers yet another challenge and the opportunity for expansion of our services.

Writing/Photographs: Cheryl Winter

For more on these issues, visit: “Congo’s Militias Lure Former Rebels From Burundi”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/world/africa/21congo.html?_r=1

Coffee Report

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:44:00 +0000

Musema, BURUNDI- Joseph Mpawemina (pictured in photo here) is a member of the coffee growers’ cooperative (CODEMU) at Musema. With 1,250 coffee trees, it is expensive and hard work to mulch the trees in the dry season. The work involves cutting bundles of grass and spreading the grass on the ground between the coffee trees to prevent the growth of weeds, preserve the moisture in the soil and eventually to form compost to improve the fertility of the soil. Work is also needed to prune the trees following the harvest of the coffee beans. Joseph takes pride in the way he looks after his coffee trees.

Despite the hard work, this has not been a good year for Joseph’s coffee. He has only harvested 4,374kg of ripe coffee cherry (less than 3.5kg cherry per tree). In good years, he should be producing 8-10kg cherry per tree. National coffee exports are down to an all time low. One of the main reasons for the decline and fluctuation in yield is the lack of pruning. Many farmers, like Joseph, are finding that it is too expensive to manage their coffee plantations and as a result, many coffee plantations are poorly managed or have been abandoned. They are reluctant to remove the trees, as this was banned by the government.

FH Burundi is trying to help Joseph and other coffee growers to get a better price for their coffee. The farmers have formed their own cooperative and are raising the funds to take over the operation of their own mini washing station to produce high quality coffee which will get a better price.

FH Burundi is also working with the coffee growers to improve the productivity of their trees. We are hoping to get the support of the national research institute to carry out more trials with coffee growers to see if other food crops can be grown successfully alongside the coffee. Joseph would like to plant more bananas in his coffee plantation and feels that both the coffee trees and bananas would benefit from the mulch he is putting on the ground. We think he is right.

Written by: Stephen Stordy, Agriculture & Environment Program Specialist, FH Burundi

Photos From the Field: coffee cooperatives

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:54:00 +0000

Photo courtesy of: S. Stordy

These women belong to a coffee mulching association. In Burundi, associations are groups of individuals who choose to work together, often for social and economic benefits. This women's association has been given a contract by a coffee grower to buy grass for mulching the coffee trees. Mulch around coffee and banana trees helps to conserve moisture, prevent erosion, and increase soil fertility. FH staff members working in Burundian communities encourage individuals to join associations and cooperatives. These groups link vulnerable populations to economic opportunities and simultaneously offer encouragement and community strengthening through social activities and trust building.

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:02:00 +0000

Burundi.

Too often thought of in terms of statistics. Too seldom known for the beauty that it is.

(photo courtesy of S. Stordy)

Their Ratings and Our Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:48:00 +0000

This week, Burundi was assigned the lowest rating for economic competitiveness in a global report released by the World Economic Forum[1], dropping down one place from last year’s report. In addition to this, the World Bank recently produced the “Ease of Doing Business” report which measures indicators such as permits and registration procedures, time and cost related to starting and maintaining a business, ease of cross border trade, as well as factors related to hiring and credit eligibility[2]. According to the World Bank, Burundi has ranked 177 out of 181 for 2009.

With reports such as these being released, it could be easy to despair our work in Burundi, as we continue to place priority on economic development programming. However, it is precisely because of factors reflected in these reports that FH Burundi remains committed and motivated to continue our work. Where poverty exists, we are working toward sustainable, community-based solutions. Where there is injustice, we are working alongside local leaders, families, and communities to strive toward justice and increased community involvement in the economic sector.

One example of this work is the FH coffee washing project in Northern Burundi, working to provide local coffee farmers with greater ownership, increased profits, and expanded knowledge in their field of work.

Cheryl Winter

[1] http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/us-falls-to-2-in-global-competitiveness-rankings/

[2] http://www.doingbusiness.org/documents/DB09Easeofdoingbusinessrankmethod.pdf

On Being Children: School Clubs Promoting Community, Culture, and Child Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:29:00 +0000

Their voices could be heard, small and confident, long before we saw them.

The young girls, practicing for our arrival, with their personalities shining through, reminded me of my first grade Fall Concert. “This is a Big Day”, our teacher had explained, as if the pits in our stomachs weren’t warning enough.

Today, the dirt road led us to the Buraniro II Primary School girls club, who were already singing their welcome songs. There were the distracted ones, noticing how the dust circled their toes with each jump, and the attentive ones who knew every word and every clap, fixedly leading the pack. Confident little girls relished the crowd and charmed us with their smiles, giggling and forgetting the words. Huddled next to them several shy ones swayed, barely looking up, yet diligently following every rhythm and swell of the music. They were all here. The Girls Dance Club had a performance for us and it truly was a Big Day for the children of Buraniro II Primary School.

In Burundi, many children don’t receive a formal education. Attendance rates are low, with nearly half of Burundi’s girls not attending primary school. Fewer still complete their primary education. (UNDP 2005) Many are needed at home to care for younger siblings or to help with domestic chores while parents are working in the fields. Often girls are sent to school until age 7 or 8 when they are old enough to be helpful in the home and required to stay back.

School teachers and headmasters in Burundi’s Buraniro district are concerned for the increasing inequalities in children’s education as youth grow in age, pointing out that boys are more likely to complete primary education than girls. FH staff members are working alongside school teachers to help raise awareness among parents about the value of education for both their daughters and sons. FH staff members take time to speak to parents about child rights, the benefits of education, and parental support. Additionally, parents are encouraged to help with school clubs such as the Girls Dance Club and sports clubs.

In a country where children often have to grow up quickly, take on household responsibilities and learn the realities of economic hardship early on, children’s clubs, like the clubs at Buraniro II, are allowing both parents and children to experience the joys of community.

With supportive parents, caring FH staff, and responsible teachers, Burundi’s children are allowed to be just that: children.

Cheryl Winter

FH Burundi is working to welcome home Burundian refugees

noreply@blogger.com (Food For The Hungry) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:22:00 +0000

THOUSANDS OF BURUNDIANS HOME AFTER YEARS OF DISPLACEMENT

RUYIGI, Burundi- Thousands of Burundian refugees are returning from Tanzania after years of displacement. Many of these returnees fled in 1993 at the start of the 12 year civil war, while others have been living as refugees since 1972 when a period of massacres forced thousands from their communities.

UNHCR has reported that nearly 60,000 Burundian refugees from Tanzania have moved back to their native country; another 70,000 are expected to return by the end of the year. The impact of this mass movement of families to an already impoverished nation is expected to create greater strain on social, economic, and infrastructural sectors.

Burundi is classified as one of the poorest nations in the world, according to the Human Development Index, and its people rely heavily on agriculture for survival. The reintegration of thousands of returnees presents further complexity as land is scarce, schools are overcrowded, and infrastructure is insufficient to support such an influx in population. In addition to these issues, many returnees are finding their homes destroyed or sold, resulting in land disputes and increased tension.
For many of those living in refugee camps, years have passed without employment, forced to rely primarily if not entirely on humanitarian aid for food and shelter. This forced dependency has tremendous effects on individual and family roles within society, as well as community relationships, trust, and interdependency.

Prior to their relocation in Burundi, the journey itself presents challenges, as land mines remain scattered throughout the Burundi/Tanzania border.
Food for the Hungry is working in the Eastern province of Ruyigi to support returnees and host communities throughout the transitional phase, and to help mitigate the challenges of reintegration and relocation.

By working to build schools and tree nurseries, FH is providing employment for returnees and their host communities, allowing them the opportunity to work together for the betterment of their community and their children. Studies have indicated that returnees who are able to have employment find greater satisfaction in life, and are able to reacculturate more easily to their new communities.

In addition to employment opportunities, FH is working to reduce the environmental effects of the mass migration through agro-forestry, tree nurseries, agricultural education, school construction, and livestock distribution. FH staff members are also working alongside community members to multiply resistant cassava strands in order to provide a more reliable crop for the entire community.