Our Stories from Burundi

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My Burundi!

My Burundi is an after-school club which encourages students to have pride in their nation, and also in their community. It stirs and inspires students to consider the difference they can make to build Burundi for the better. The topics covered include conflict resolution, community service, food production and environmental

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Safety and Sanctuary

Annabelle is a 16-year-old girl who successfully passed the year nine national exams and will start year ten on Monday. She has a bubbly personality and a lovely smile, and she enjoys helping and praying for others. Annabelle's mother was a school girl when she became pregnant with her.... Read the article...

Owen’s Visit to Burundi

Sixteen-year-old Owen made a significant trip to Burundi to visit the work of GLO. We asked him to share his experiences and perspectives: “In January of 2019 I was given a sum of money to put towards something charitable of my choice. I was struggling to decide what to... Read the article...

Remarkable Resilience

When we got the chance to visit Beatrice – we were so blown away by her story that we knew we had to share it! Beatrice was a healthy and very active woman in her community. Even though she struggled, she always gave her all to her only child.... Read the article...

Daughters of the Community

Capucine is a 23-year-old single mother. Having dropped out of school, she has since returned to year 11 and hopes to complete high school in two years so she can better provide for her 4-year-old daughter. Every morning, Capucine puts on her school uniform and her daughter's and walks her... Read the article...

A Lap of the Isle of Wight!

GLO Supporter Jennie is a teacher and a mother of three. She was particularly struck by the thousands of children in Burundi who cannot afford the materials they need for education. “I know how important it is that children go to school. I cannot imagine being forced to choose... Read the article...

The Road to Qatar

As the footballing world gears up for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the teams for the Street Child World Cup are pushing themselves harder than ever. The tournament, taking place from... Read the article...

Back to School – Thank you!

Thank you so much for supporting our Back to School Appeal! With your generous support, we were able to help each of the 773 families to continue their children’s education for the coming year. You can see the impact your gift has made on many precious lives. Thank you... Read the article...

Crazy Wild Workings in Burundi!

Earlier this summer, I asked for prayers for our huge team of evangelists during their two-week summer outreach campaign, and the results and stories are in. We sent out 850 evangelists across the country for two weeks. 13,831 people chose to give their lives to Christ. Amazing!... Read the article...

From Escaping to Creating

Something in Celeste* finally cracked. She knew it was time to escape. For too long, she had endured physical and emotional abuse from her husband, and she knew she had to get out for the good of her three children. She fled without much idea of how she would... Read the article...

Fighting On for Her Children

Danielle is a 25-year-old single mother of 2 who lives on the outskirts of Bujumbura, the capital. Every morning, Danielle carries her baby on her back with a load of vegetables, hoping to make ends meet for herself and her two children. With the little she makes, she is... Read the article...

Mizen 2 Malin!

GLO Supporter Billy loves a challenge and has completed various fundraising events over the past years! “I do love telling people about the great work of GLO in Burundi. Over the past few years, I have focused my fundraising towards its aims… raising great leaders to progress the poorest... Read the article...

From Scavenger to Chef

From childhood, Bienvenue wanted to follow in his Dad's footsteps and become a cook. He dreamt of becoming a successful chef in a renowned hotel, but that was nearly impossible without formal education. Born into a large family of 15 children, Bienvenue and his siblings had to fend for... Read the article...

A Day to Remember

The International Day of the African Child, June 16th, is joyfully celebrated by our partners New Generation Burundi. This year’s celebrations took place for the fifty-one children with a delicious meal, talking and playing games and sports. They also had the opportunity to showcase the French and English they... Read the article...

Mobilised Youth Reaching Rebels

Ezra was a self-described ‘bad boy’. He stole money for cigarettes, he slept around, and he’d regularly be out drinking until the early hours. His sister, Elizabeth, was in despair for her brother: “He used to hurt me, he was a thief, he stole my stuff and sold it,... Read the article...

Tailored for Transformation!

Burundi can be a tough place to be a young woman, single mother and widow. Exploitation is sadly prevalent, and poverty forces many into a desperate position of having to beg or sell their bodies to survive. Together for Development works tirelessly to change this as they engage with... Read the article...

Building in Faith

If you ever get the chance to visit YWAM in Kabezi, to see all that they do - you will be amazed! On a single expanse of land, they have built a primary school with a feeding programme, and they are also constructing new classrooms. They have homes for... Read the article...

Pedal Power to Brighten Burundi!

The first Bike for Burundi Tour since Covid took place in June, with six intrepid riders undertaking a huge 100km per day, 49,000ft elevation, seven-day marathon. The wonderful headline is that between them they raised over £40,000 for our transformational work in Burundi! Though the hills were steep... Read the article...

Shrivelled Legs, Soaring Soul!

Yesterday we got to meet with Macaire – this story is as good as it gets! When he was 12-years-old, he contracted polio. He was taken to several hospitals but his legs shrivelled up and he was left disabled. Language can be harsh sometimes. There are different cases in... Read the article...

Nurturing Local Leaders

Allowing young leaders to develop their skills is a priority for New Generation. In addition to their primary focus of rehabilitating street-connected children, They facilitate youth clubs as an exciting vehicle of outreach in the local community. They give opportunities to young leaders to develop skills as they engage... Read the article...

Tele-Vision!

Heritage TV broadcasts a wide variety of shows which aim to teach, stir and encourage anybody watching with the good news of the gospel! We are encouraged to share some stories of people who have written in to thank them for their work. ‘Prosperity preaching’ is a big issue... Read the article...

Taking Flight Together

“The man and the woman are like the two wings of a bird. Unless the female wing is flourishing alongside the male wing, humanity will not take flight. So to support the woman is to support the world.” This idea underpins the new Women’s Empowerment initiative from RAJEDES as... Read the article...

A Sister’s Invitation

At the age of fifty-five, Asana was aware that the traumas she had suffered throughout her life were taking a toll on her health. Visits to doctors did not prevent her from suffering a heart attack. She speaks of longing for healing medicine and a ‘heart full of joy’... Read the article...

Nolan’s New Chapter

These photos of Nolan each represent a different chapter in his story. First, we find him, just 12 years old, living on the streets of Bujumbura, another street-connected child amongst twenty other boys hanging out on the roadside. In the city, it is not difficult to find children like... Read the article...

A Beginners Guide to Savings Clubs

A key methodology used to alleviate poverty in Burundi. Here is how they operate and why they are needed.... Read the article...

People Building

“Many non-profits build buildings and programmes, Antioch Foundation exists to build people.”... Read the article...

Booming Business in Buj

Unable to finish his degree and unemployed, Eric was an orphan who had responsibility for his younger brothers. Their prospects looked bleak, but thankfully he was able to join a training and microloans group run by RAJEDES, who work in some of the poorer parts of Bujumbura. Thanks to... Read the article...

Sing! Dance! Sew!

This group of happy ladies dressed in their brightest colors danced and sang as a crowd looked on, clapping and dancing along. The song they sang was called Birashoboka (which means ‘it is possible’). The occasion was their graduation. Each woman in the group had completed their training in... Read the article...

Here for a Purpose!

Our partners, Purpose Discovery, address the big questions. They are committed to raising awareness amongst young people regarding the purpose of their existence. Through visits to churches and schools, they build up a network of clubs where young people can address themes such as time management, creativity and innovation.... Read the article...

The Forgotten?

Between Bwiza and Nyakabiga in Bujumbura, there is an area known as ‘Ku Gifurege’, ‘The Big Gutter’. Perched along the gutter’s edge are several huts housing sixteen households. Known as ‘The Forgotten’, the community consists of retired and active prostitutes and their children, gamblers and addicts. Greenland Alliance... Read the article...

Boaz

6-year-old Boaz went missing last week. Honestly, after six days of no news, the darkest thoughts filled all our minds. All hope was fading fast. His father, Abdul, is one of our key leaders... Read the article...

Life Clinics Bringing Hope

It’s been 40 years since the first reported HIV cases. For over 15 years, the Life Clinics of GLO’s partner World Outreach Initiatives have supported over a thousand people who live with HIV by providing them with Antiretroviral Regimens, also known as ARV. Daphrosa a mother of 4 children... Read the article...

A Desire for More

Born into a low-income family, Desire’s parents couldn't afford a lot for their children. Passionate and driven to be great, Desire always felt like his way out of poverty was to have a university degree. Unfortunately, after completing high school, he failed the national exam, which would have granted... Read the article...

Choose Life in 2022!

Choose Life is a daily devotional by Simon Guillebaud. Living in a war zone for many years, Simon is attuned to making the most of each week, taking nothing and no one for granted. The Choose Life challenge is here to inspire you to do the same. Simon tells... Read the article...

Revenge to Reconciliation

Didacienne is a woman serving in the Burundian military. She is 26 years old and hails from Cibitoke, northern Burundi. Although the relationship with her father was rooted in love, it became conflicted after he abandoned her mother and began a relationship with a new woman, which Didancienne found... Read the article...

Running Back to Loving Arms

Is there a better sight than a child running carefree, a massive smile across his face? Can you imagine the group of excited children, running to meet him? They are his siblings, and they are so happy to be reunited. Issa's story was close to ending in tragedy, but... Read the article...

A Brother’s Love

Like many children in Burundi, Vincent had an unbelievably tough start in life. Conflict and war meant his family’s only hope of survival was to leave everything behind and flee to the Democratic Republic of Congo to find shelter in a refugee camp, alongside thousands of other Burundians. Tragically,... Read the article...

Physical Fundraising!

We're always encouraged by the effort and devotion some of our supporters put into fundraising for GLO, and recently we have been blessed by Peter and Ben, who have each undertaken a 24-hour physical challenge! We've all had those moments of thinking 'I'd love to try that'. Ben took... Read the article...

Dancing in the Rain!

Our founder Simon Guillebaud had an exhilarating start to his recent visit to Burundi! Visiting a rally in Kirusi run by United Citizens for Change and Development, they had the chance to share with the hundreds of locals who came to the rally. This was a chance to witness... Read the article...

Creating for Christ

Where do the arts come into church? This is the question asked by our partners, Inganji. They seek to empower and equip artists of all descriptions and explore the potential for art to communicate the gospel. In creation, we see the work of the Supreme Artist, in the words... Read the article...

Single Mothers of the Streets

Living in impoverished rural communities, many young girls and women find themselves on Bujumbura’s city streets looking for work. They come to work as babysitters and housekeepers, but many find themselves destitute and often with unwanted pregnancies. Some girls enter into relationships with the fathers of their children but... Read the article...

41 Seconds of Gratitude and Joy in Burundi!

Experience the joy of these precious young ladies receiving reusable sanitary pads, which is a game-changer for their education. No longer will they miss days of school every month. ... Read the article...

Emmanuel’s Total Transformation

Emmanuel didn’t do well at school, so he decided to drop out. He worked as a labourer on people’s farms for a living. Most of the time, he couldn’t hold down a job for more than three months due to his problems with alcohol. He joined a fish farming... Read the article...

Strengthening the Troops!

GLO’s partner leaders work extremely hard, with great enthusiasm and energy, often in the face of great difficulty. The life of such an individual is tough, and so an essential weekend in the calendar is our annual partners retreat, where GLO provides a time away to invest in our... Read the article...

Hope Amidst Pain

Despite his young age, Issa has lived on the streets of Bujumbura for three years now. He started life watching his family struggling to provide for him, and after failing at school, he opted to run away from home. At the age of twelve, he had already learned to... Read the article...

Tuning in to Transformation

Trans World Radio have received so much encouraging feedback from their radio programmes Abakunzi b’Amahoro’ (Lovers of Peace) and ‘Amahoro Iwacu’ (Peace in our Home). One young mother got in touch from prison, where she had listened to the radio station. Separated from her children, she was struggling with... Read the article...

Harvest Outreach Hope!

After a last-minute go-ahead, the Harvest Initiatives annual summer evangelism returned after last year's campaign was forced to cancel due to coronavirus. As ever, there have been a load of encouraging stories of powerful transformation, here is an initial selection for your encouragement. Thank you for your prayers over... Read the article...

The Peace That Surpassed Grief

At twenty years of age, Divine was a mother to a healthy one-year baby. Loved by her husband, she was living the life of her dreams. However, her world collapsed when her baby died of an unknown cause, and her husband almost chased her out for becoming a Christian. ... Read the article...

Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together

When thinking of the Olympics, it’s easy to focus on winning medals, but Olympic values go much further than excellence. As highlighted during the opening ceremony in Tokyo, the Olympic motto has been updated to include the word ‘Together’. This reflects a key value of GLO partner Charles Nkazamyampi... Read the article...

Let’s Edify Each Other!

Nduza Nkuduze, which means ‘let’s edify each other’, is a microloans group in the Batwa (Pygmy) community of Busiga, Muyinga Province. For the past four years, they have been able to save enough money to start small businesses. This has enabled them to harvest crops from their farms. ... Read the article...

The Young Entrepreneur

After completing Year 9 at High School, Innocent found himself looking for a job. Further education simply wasn’t an option because of lack of funds. Thankfully, our partner RAJEDES was able to support Innocent as he explored ways of becoming financially independent. RAJEDES focuses on creating opportunities for young... Read the article...

A Telescope That Changed a Girl’s Perspective

Viola is a typical seventeen-year-old. She likes to take pictures, dance, and hang around with her friends. But, Viola is also a brilliant girl. She tells us, “My favourite subject is science, and I’m always excited whenever I'm solving a math problem.” This has not always been the case.... Read the article...

Charlotte and Christophe’s New Start

When Charlotte became a widow she experienced unimaginable difficulties. With her husband’s death, she also lost her home and her family. Her husband’s family wanted to inherit her land so she was thrown out, and forced to leave her son behind. Homeless, penniless and starving, she only had the... Read the article...

From Wreckage to Resilience

Francine had to fend for herself from the time she was orphaned at twelve years of age. With no one to take care of her, she had to leave her village in Bubanza, which was sadly only the beginning of many trails. She ended up in the Middle East... Read the article...

A Plentiful Harvest

RAJEDES is focused on creating opportunities! One key area of focus is microloans, which allow people to start a business and become self-sufficient, bringing hope to communities trapped in poverty for generations. We look at three individuals who have worked hard with their microloans in the agricultural sector.... Read the article...

The Restoration of Innocent

It's almost mid-day and the sun is already shining. Karubabi Harvest School, standing upon the hills of Muramvya, looks so vibrant. It's break time and children are out playing and enjoying themselves. In the corner of my eye, I catch sight of a young boy staring at me intently... Read the article...

A Garment of Praise

Together for Development provides hope amongst the most vulnerable. An important aspect of their work involves teaching women the skills needed to sew so they can generate a business allowing them to care for themselves and their children. Goreth, a single Mum, has worked tirelessly to care for her... Read the article...

Tomorrow’s Peacemakers

“Before I got engaged in the Peace Club, I did not know who a leader was. I thought leadership was solely meant for presidents of countries or top influencing authorities while ignoring that even I as a student have the right to become a leader..." Restoration Burundi's ‘Peace Clubs’... Read the article...

Counting the Cost for Christ

Husna, a motherless girl of nineteen years old, attended religious debates organised by APRID. Her family were Muslim but after listening to the debate Husna decided that she wanted to become a Christian and gave her life to Christ. Her family became very angry and her stepmother threw her... Read the article...

From a Mud Hut to a University Campus

Antoine is from the Batwa (Pygmy) ethnic group in Muramvya Province, Burundi. Despised by other ethnic groups and without their own land, the Batwa often live hidden away in mud hut settlements deep in the forest, at risk from the elements and disease. Their life expectancy is just 28... Read the article...

The Peacemakers of Kirundo

‘Blessed are the Peacemakers’. We are familiar with that verse from the bible. Our partners, World Outreach Initiatives, have explored making it a reality in the training sessions they arranged for the pastors of Kirundo. As a country, Burundi has undergone times of violence and conflict throughout its recent... Read the article...

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