AVSI in Burundi
Current and Recent Projects
Additional Information

AVSI in Burundi

In the midst of a bloody civil war, in 2002 AVSI arrived in Cibitoke, one of the seven Northern districts in the suburbs of Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, establishing the Moe Community Center for children, mothers and war orphans (Mamans, Orphelins e Enfants). The area of Cibitoke is characterized by its extreme poverty: according to the 2009 UNDP estimate, 68% of the population lives below the poverty line. The center, made possible by the Distant Support Program and Comunità Biellese Aiuti Umanitari (CBAU), an Italian aid association, was founded to meet the need for a shared protected place for children and mothers, in an attempt to provide a tangible response to the emergencies and demands of the area in terms of food, health assistance, education and psychological aid.

The center started its work during a period of partial post conflict (the civil war lasted from 1993-2005), characterized by great urban decay, with high levels of overpopulation due to the great influx of Burundian refugees who, time and again, flooded into the capital as they fled from ethnic cleansing. This great movement of people and general insecurity at the family, community and national level caused a complete breakdown of family, social and community infrastructure, a situation that was worsened by the inadequate health, education and social psychological assistance networks needed to treat a severely traumatized population.

The center today, known as the Meo Lino Lava Center in honor of the CBAU member Lino Lava who was a great benefactor of the center before his death, has expanded to an improved facility in the same district made possible by CBAU and in collaboration with Burundian authorities in Bujumbura, which helped AVSI acquire the land. The center provides services such as educational and recreational activities for the children, a library, music lessons, group and individual psycho-therapeutic counseling, health assistance, and guided micro credit opportunities.

AVSI is also involved in education in the province of Kayanza through its two projects: primary school construction and renovation, and training for primary school teachers. The first project is funded by the European Commission and has a duration of three years. The second project of teacher training is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for three years starting April 2009. Until now, 644 teachers, 35 directors and 7 Inspectors were trained on the "Risk of Education" course, and 25 classrooms have been built to accommodate 1,500 children.

AVSI has also been involved in the Food Safety Project which is funded by the European Commission. The project has now boosted agro-pastoral activities at the site of our beneficiaries and is implemented by a Consortium of Italian NGOs. Moreover, in the same area of ​​food safety, AVSI realized the following activities through a project funded by the Italian Government which has since been concluded:

-          distribution of agricultural inputs to 1100 vulnerable households

-          training in technical and agro-pastoral techniques for 1,100 farmers and 8 mills installed in 5 parishes of the province of Kayanza and Ngozi.

Another project for the protection of orphans and vulnerable children is currently being implemented by a Consortium of NGOs led by AVSI. This project is funded by UNICEF/Child Protection Division and it aims to assist 1,000 orphans and other vulnerable children in Muruta commune, site Campazi, by offering health care, education, psychosocial and legal assistance, Income-Generating Activities, and professional training.

Today, AVSI supports 1,488 children in the provinces of Kayanza, Ngozi and in the northern communities of Bujumbura through its Distance Support Program. With the fund from an Italian Association, CBAU, AVSI has been able to build a new center for youth and their families in the neighborhood of Cibitoke. The center MEO Lino Lava was inaugurated on November 3rd, 2010 and aims to provide educational models for children and their families in a dedicated and protected environment where they can have positive experiences and become main actors in their own human development. About 300 children attend the center each day.

AVSI has its Head Office in Bujumbura and the MEO Lino Lava center which offers educational, recreational and cultural activities for youth in northern communities of the Capital. AVSI also has a base in Kayanza and 4 satellite offices in the communes of Muruta, Matongo, Kabarore and Kayanza. AVSI has clear procedures for expenditure management including a double signature system for authorizing payments, procedures for tendering and management of assets which are in the manual operational. In addition, Deloitte Uganda makes the audit of the NGO annually.

Current and Recent Projects

 
“Improving the quality of life and development capacity of vulnerable households by strengthening the system of primary education”

Duration: December 2008 - March 2011
Donor Partner:  European Union
Budget: Euros 1,173,046.85

"Promoting the living conditions and improvement of rural population in the communes of Matongo Muruta, Kabarore Busiga through interventions in the education sector"

Duration: May 2009 - May 2012
Donor Partner: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Budget: Euros 1,407,488, 50

"Our Valuable Children" Distance Support in the provinces of Kayanza, Ngozi and Bujumbura

Duration: 2011
Donor Partners: Private funds AVSI
Budget:  Euros 180,754
Direct beneficiaries: 1400 children; 983 in the province of Kayanza and Ngozi and 417 in the northern area of Bujumbura

“Protection and global care of at least 1,000 orphans and other vulnerable children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS Site Campazi, Muruta commune in Kayanza Province”
Duration: 2010-2011
Donor Partners: UNICEF
Implementing Partners: project implemented by a consortium of NGOs: SWAA Kayanza, Giriyuja, Stamm Foundation, OPDE led by AVSI.
Budget: BIF 154 .934.980
Direct beneficiaries: 1,000 orphans and other vulnerable children of  Campazi site, Muruta Commune in the province of Kayanza

"Prompt response to soaring food prices in 8 provinces in Burundi through the strengthening the agricultural productive capacity and rural forms of aggregation support to boost the primary sector and marketing"

Duration: 2010-2011
Donor Partners:  European Commission
Implementing Partners: implemented by a consortium of Italian NGOs: LVIA, GVC, VISPE and AVSI as consortium lead.
Budget:  Euros 1,111,111

Additional Information

November 17, 2011 IlSussidiario.net: The Story of Elie