One thousand schoolbags distributed in Burundi

Situated at the border of Tanzania, in the East of Burundi, in the region of Cankuzo, Cendajuru, Twinkwavu et Nyamugari are three among the many villages, the most remote and the less accessible of the country. The “forgotten” of this beautiful Burundi.

During he war, the inhabitants, having lived there for many years, left their villages and went behind the mountains as refugees in the UNHCR camps in Tanzania. They came back; they are poor, even extremely poor; many children are orphans and live in their enlarged families.

It is why that Simone and I went, on behalf of ISGF, with some Girl Guides of Burundi, and in the presence of the UNHCR, to give 1000 bags full of school stationeries to 1000 poor children among the poorest.

In each school, the welcome has been amazing and the giving of about 300 bags in each school very moving. It was not a dream which was becoming a reality; never could those children have imagined that one day, a very nice little bag with pencils, notebooks etc would be given to them to take the place of the poor little piece of plastic they use to protect their pencil and their notebook, when in December notebook and pencil are not out of order and will not be replaced.

“I am happy because I could not write any longer with my pencil; now I will be able to write again”, told us a little girl. Most of the children were very shy ; but, when we saw them on the path, going back home, they were proud and happy with their little bag on their back.

Martine Levy, 7 December 2010, Bujumbura, Burundi