Nearly half of Burundi’s population (46%) is under 15 years old. The frequent and bloody conflicts that have kept the country in suspense for a long time make traumatic experiences part of everyday life for many children and young people. An estimated 650,000 children have lost their parents and become orphans during civil wars or illnesses such as AIDS and malaria. In 2016 Burundi was ranked as the poorest country in the world.

In Burundi, only 71% of children go to school.

Many drop out of school so that only about half of those who start school finish elementary school. A successful school education would be a central approach to the development of the country: on the one hand, it gives the young people a chance to take their own lives into their own hands. On the other hand, it provides the necessary qualifications to rebuild the country.

Every year, many children and adolescents come to the sisters and ask them for tuition, money for the school bus, for school uniforms or for notebooks and writing materials.
Sister M. Lisette reports:
“They do not expect that they will get everything as a gift, but are ready to earn it. During the vacation season we had water problems. A whole team of students brought countless canisters of water. Others worked on the access road to the mission station, others helped with the youth camps.
It is a special pleasure for us when a student receives his diploma. For example, Jean de Dieu, who wrote his diploma thesis last year and was now able to complete his final exams. He proudly presented himself to us with his work. “

With the help of donations, the sisters in Mutumba and Bujumbura were able to enroll more than 250 pupils last year.

120 francs (about 105 euro’s or $125) per year are on average necessary to secure a school place for a child.

The Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary in Burundi thank you very much for your support.

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