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- SPONSOR A CHILD - AFRICA - CHOICE OF 42 COUNTRIES / MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP - £20 A MONTH... More →
- SPONSOR A CHILD - AMERICAS - CHOICE OF 21 COUNTRIES / MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP - £20 A MONTH... More →
- SPONSOR A CHILD - ASIA - CHOICE OF 26 COUNTRIES / MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP - £20 A MONTH... More →
- SPONSOR A CHILD IN INDIA - CHOICE OF 32 INDIAN CITIES / MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP - £20 A MONTH... More →
- SPONSOR A CHILD IN CHINA - CHOICE OF 9 CHINESE PROVINCES / MINIMUM SPONSORSHIP - £20 A MONTH... More →
- SPONSOR AN ORPHAN IN HAITI - SOS Children's Villages is providing food, water and shelter for earthquake orphans... More →
CHARITY BLOG
FORGOTTEN CHILDREN IN BURUNDI
A look at how SOS is helping children in Burundi.
The central African nation of Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world. After eight years of civil war, much of the infrastructure has been destroyed and the population is one of the most vulnerable worldwide.
Thousands of inhabitants are subject to insufficient levels of medical service, electricity, food and clean water. Because of the lack of social structure, what little supplies exist are at risk from the corruption of officials. The high percentage of people living with HIV/AIDS is also a problem, with recent years seeing a significant rise in the number of younger people infected. There are an estimated 230,000 children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and the concern is for their safety and futures in this uncertain environment.
While Burundi is a republic, the years of civil unrest in this country that have characterised recent decades have kept more than half of the population illiterate and without access to any form of education. Burundi itself is landlocked and its industrial development has been hampered by constant civil strife. The result is few work opportunities the economy is not fully developed to allow industry that is compatible with the surroundings to flourish.
As a result, this impoverished country is mostly dependant on foreign aid. SOS has worked hard to imbed itself with local organisations to ensure that funding reaches the people who need it the most. SOS also believes that education is the best preventative tool and have aided in the creation of several “Anti-AIDS Clubs” in Bujumbura, Gitega, Muyinga and Rutana which provide educational materials, free testing and anti-retrovirals in order to teach communities about the disease.
A recent partnership with the Government, World Food Programme (WFP) and the National Council for Fight against AIDS (NCFA) is well developed and continues to help the population. NCFA helps HIV/AIDS Orphans and other vulnerable children with anti-retroviral drugs. The partnership with the Government involves the three relevant ministries – Ministry of Social Action and Woman Promotion, Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of National Education. Co-operation with UNICEF is a continuing priority.
