Our Stories from Burundi

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GLA Refugee Response

Vital Prayer Response

We knew things were getting dangerously challenging when Reuters, The Telegraph and other news agencies began sharing reports across the world about the tensions that flared up in the Great Lakes region of

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Freed from Prison

Francine Gahimbare, a 40-year-old mother of three from Bujumbura, has been released from prison after spending a traumatising one year and five months behind bars! Although she was initially sentenced to one year, her release was delayed until the intervention of our partner, Restoration Burundi (RESTOBU). Francine’s imprisonment stemmed from... Read the article...

The harvest is plentiful!

In Ndava commune, there are a few more smiles on the residents’ faces this year. It’s a novelty because these folk have been used to generations of hard graft for little reward! The current situation in Burundi is one of lack, with the 13 million population struggling to produce anywhere... Read the article...

Empowering change!

At 60 years old, Tabu Ntahonkuriye of Buterere embodies resilience and determination. A widow and mother of six, her life was once marked by hardship as she struggled to provide for her family. “I worked daily in the rice fields, earning only 6,000 BIF (£1.62) per day,” Tabu recalls.... Read the article...

Thank you for making Christmas Special!

We had such an incredible response to our staff Christmas gifts campaign! With Burundi in such dire straits at the moment, your outpouring of generosity couldn’t have come at a better time! Because of you, over 800 families received much-needed support, and many of our partners hosted special Christmas... Read the article...

From the Grip of Evil to God’s Embrace

Evariste’s life was a storm of addiction and violence, earning him the nickname Rwarusazi, or “the crazy man,” in his community. At just 30 years old, he was consuming three crates of beer and six packs of cigarettes daily. His destructive habits wreaked havoc on his family, especially his... Read the article...

Open for Service!

‘This is so wrong!’ That was the gut-wrenching feeling Isaiah felt when he saw retired church Pastors begging in markets. Clergy who retire in Burundi rarely have any pension or savings, so they and their families can end up destitute. Isaiah was determined to do something about it. “It... Read the article...

Thanksgiving from Clementine

You might remember the amazing story of Clementine, the resilient and inspiring lady who lost her legs, was assaulted, and has overcome so many obstacles to this day. We had an incredible outpouring of folks wanting to support her, and I’m so pleased to report back that she is... Read the article...

Amazing Applied Leadership!

“Today marks a significant milestone in my journey.” Pastor Joseph Minani is dressed up in his best clothes to celebrate a significant occasion – graduating with his Masters Degree! He is one of 1934 to do so this year. United Citizens for Change and Development (UCCD) operates these pop-up... Read the article...

Secure Foundations

A home is more than somewhere to sleep. It is a place to cook, eat, relax, and feel secure. Many mud-brick huts in Burundi lack security. With little more than a curtain across the doorway, thieves can easily get inside, or when bad weather strikes, people have to pray... Read the article...

Treasure Amongst Trash

Most of the rubbish and garbage from the bustling city centre of Bujumbura finds its way from kerbsides and trash cans to the dump at Mubone, ten miles away. But the piles of discarded detritus are a means of survival for some, and so a community of those on... Read the article...

Nurturing Creativity in Burundi

Inganji’s vision is to help Christian artists develop by empowering and equipping them to use their art and creativity to serve and build the body of Christ, share the Gospel message and, thereby, transform society. To achieve this, Inganji has developed a network of artists to foster relationships and... Read the article...

Even More Stunning Fruit!

The Mustard Seed of Faith Rukundo* had been bedridden for a long time. What began as simple weakness and fever had escalated into a grave illness that baffled doctors. His parents were desperate and devastated. The only solution was to transfer Rukundo to a better hospital in Bujumbura, but... Read the article...

Stunning Gospel Fruit!

Breaking Free: From Addiction to Salvation Nsabimana’s life took a wrong turn 15 years ago. What began as casual weekends spent drinking with friends spiralled into something darker. A few drinks quickly turned into inebriation, to the point where he would often pass out. Many nights, Nsabimana found himself... Read the article...

Back to School Thanks!

We want to say a huge thank you to everybody who supported this appeal. It really does make a huge difference! It’s heart-warming to see these families with children eagerly sorting through their new stationary, in uniform and ready for the school year. And now our partners can thrive... Read the article...

WHAT A WOMAN!

When I heard this, I couldn’t keep it to myself! Sometimes you hear a story and you get to be a part of totally changing someone’s life. That’s my invitation to you right now! Clementine has no legs and actually walks on her hands. My colleague Eloge drove past... Read the article...

Bags of Talent!

We love big dreamers like Digne. She was given away as a child because her father did not want her. Her grandmother did her best to care for her until she died when Digne was 10, but they lived in poverty, often lacking the basics. However, this tough start... Read the article...

Bottom-up and Top-down

Our mission is to transform Burundi from the bottom-up and top-down. Bottom-up addresses symptoms such as poverty, sickness or hunger, whereas top-down transformation tackles the root causes. United Christians for Change and Development (UCCD) has invested many years in bottom-up transformation, impacting thousands across Burundi through education, evangelism and... Read the article...

Continued Flood Relief in Gatumba

Although flood waters have receded a little in Burundi, thousands remain affected, homeless or displaced. GLO Partner New Generation has been working to provide immediate relief to a community in temporary housing by providing food and other essentials, as well as organising events to encourage and minister to those... Read the article...

Grateful Smiles for New Laptops!

Earlier this year, we launched our appeal to purchase laptops for our fantastic partner organisations. Here’s some beautiful messages of thanks from the leaders. It brought a smile to our faces, and we’re confident it will bring a smile to yours too!... Read the article...

Pastor Retirement Home Update

So many of you sowed into our exciting retirement home project in 2023. A year on, here is an update on the progress made. It’s beautiful to see how the community has got involved with cultivating the land, and to see the building coming together. Thank you for being... Read the article...

Sharing the Burden

By Charlotte Hutchinson, GLO Trustee. For a long time, I have felt drawn to stand with and pray for the ‘GLO ladies’ – a mixture of women leading Partner organisations and the precious wives of our male leaders. It’s been a joy to gather together with them on my... Read the article...

The Prodigal Preacher

Jean trembled as he met with Onesphore. With every ounce of humility he could muster, he said, “I know I was wrong. I want to be forgiven – but if you can’t forgive me, I’m ready to be punished. Either way, please allow me to stay by your side.”... Read the article...

From a World of Darkness to the Kingdom of Light!

For over fifty years, Yesaya was notorious as an aggressive and ruthless Witchdoctor in the Kabanda hills. With expertise in dark magic and sorcery, his reputation had spread far beyond his hometown to other parts of the nation. When he was 15-years-old, he inherited the powers and charms of... Read the article...

Aid for People Displaced by Flooding

GLO Partner New Generation have been visiting Gatumba, a region severely impacted by flooding, with thousands displaced from their homes and living in camps. The flooding is just one of many crises that Burundi is facing at the moment. We are raising money to support our Partners at this... Read the article...

An Audience of Millions!

As the only Christian TV station in Burundi, Heritage Television (HTV) has a crucial, strategic role in Burundi. They broadcast a wide variety of programmes, from discussions around tricky topics, to Bible teaching, to music. It’s aim is to broadcast messages of hope, encouragement, peace and joy. It’s already... Read the article...

Huge Floods in Burundi

It is currently rainy season in Burundi, and although the rain has not been much heavier than usual, there is a huge issue with flooding. Why? The level of Lake Tangakyika, which forms much of the Western border of the country, has risen dramatically. This is the second consecutive... Read the article...

Turning Pages, Changing Lives

Many of us are flooded by a constant stream of information. For an internet-connected, English-speaking Christian, there are millions of hours of recordings, online blogs and books that they can access to resource their journey of faith. But for a Kirundi-speaking Burundian, who may not have money to pay... Read the article...

Bouncing Back

Thalia* was trapped in a horrific situation. Living in a slum as a young mother of three, with almost no money, she had a lot of pressures. But when she most needed the support and care of her husband, he was abusive and controlling. He refused to share his... Read the article...

The Greatest Prize

Football (Soccer) is the national sport of Burundi, and it’s an incredibly effective tool for evangelism. New Generation Founder, church leader and national influencer, Dieudonne Nahimana travels all across Burundi organising sporting outreach events and speaking as a as a voice for peace, integrity and the Gospel. This captivating... Read the article...

Tears and Bullets in Burundi…

As I stood up to preach, I burst into tears in the pulpit. It was July 2003 and I had flown back from Burundi and on to the USA for my first preaching tour there. I was with a wonderful church called St Andrew’s in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina. Memories of... Read the article...

An Unusual Leader

So why was Consolate, a KCC staff member, crying at the celebration dinner for Goretti? Earlier in the year, we shared about the outgoing director of King’s Conference Centre, Goretti Wege, and her successor, Celestin Kubwimana. One reason this story is such a success was because the transition between... Read the article...

Medicine or Food?

For Samuel, 34, trying to feed four children when you earn less than 50p per day is tough enough. Saving up for a health insurance card on top of that is even tougher. “The main concern becomes how to feed our children at least once a day.” In the... Read the article...

Thunderbolts from Heaven!

Nearly every other weekend of the year, the UCCD team are out in remote parts of Burundi, collaborating with local churches to run Gospel outreach events. In 2023 alone, over 54,000 people attended these events, with 8,621 people making that special decision to become followers of Jesus! They often... Read the article...

Bridging the Gap

Callixte completed his university education over five years ago, graduating with a degree in civil engineering. Although the need for good civil engineering is high in Burundi, there aren’t many paid job opportunities around. So Callixte was unable to find work and remained unemployed for 5 years, still living... Read the article...

Words of Life in Demand!

As a 40-year-old organisation, Scripture Union Burundi is held in very high esteem nationally. A foundation of their work is in providing daily Bible reading notes to the nation in Kirundi, the everyday language of Burundi. They produce thousands of books – each with a year of Bible-reading notes.... Read the article...

All good things come to an end…

Nothing has brought me more joy and pain in 25 years of ministry in Burundi. Maybe that’s a little overstated, but building what is considered the best dedicated conference centre in the country certainly caused many sleepless nights, stressful days, frustrating weeks and more. Phase 1 launched in 2009,... Read the article...

Girls on the Street

These two girls are just 13 and 15 and have spent most of their childhood begging on the streets of Bujumbura. They tell their stories in this short interview produced by New Generation. Some of the New Generation team have lived on the streets themselves, so they have a... Read the article...

Redefining Education

There’s a sudden surge in pastors seeking university-level accreditation in Burundi. GLO Partner, United Citizens for Change and Development, has been establishing pop-up internationally-accredited Bible schools for the past couple of years, meaning they are well prepared for this unexpected challenge. In 2022, they established 59 of these schools! ... Read the article...

A Rising Generation

Investing in the next generation is one of our passions, and many of our partners are committed to youth and children, be it through school education, church discipleship, or simply creating a better community where they can thrive. So we’ve been encouraged to hear some recent stories of the... Read the article...

Mind-blowing stories from Outreach!

Every summer, Harvest Initiatives trains and sends thousands of people into their communities all across Burundi to share the news of the Gospel and offer prayer to those in need. In 2023, we asked our supporters to pray for the outreach, and so we are delighted to report back... Read the article...

Ripples of Prosperity

Many in Burundi live in extreme poverty and have to work hard just to survive. Today, we’re spotlighting two incredible young women who are working to provide for their families and how the work of Greenland Alliance has lightened their burdens and given hope for the future. Claudine Claudine... Read the article...

Burundi by Bike – My Experience

Tim took part in ‘Bike for Burundi’ 2023 – our annual fundraiser where a group of plucky cyclists take on the hills of Burundi, with stops to visit our incredible partners and see first-hand what they are raising money for. He took the time to pen his reflections. “I... Read the article...

Fantastic Summer Camps!

This summer, hundreds of children and young people got the chance to go away to camps to enjoy fun, fellowship and get into the Word of God. This video, sent by Scripture Union Burundi, will give you a flavour of just one of those camps that took place. We’re so thankful to... Read the article...

Transformed Before Your Eyes…

When Jackson first came to the One Cup a Day Programme, he was clearly suffering symptoms of malnutrition, which is heartbreakingly common in poor Burundian communities. Even those who grow past it into adulthood feel the lifelong effects, as growth and development is stunted, limiting opportunities and quality of... Read the article...

Sole Traders!

‘Transforming Burundi, bottom-up and top-down’. That’s GLO’s vision. Sadly, people with disabilities in Burundi are often pushed to the bottom of society, missing out on education and opportunities. They are left unable to work traditional jobs, and rely on their families and friends to provide for them. But that... Read the article...

Phenomenal Fundraisers!

We’re always blown away by some of the physical challenges people put themselves through to raise money for our work in Burundi, and summertime always brings a flock of faithful fundraisers getting their hiking boots, lyrca or hospitality on to raise money to see Burundi transformed. Ready for the... Read the article...

Comfort to the Afflicted

“My name is Ferdinand, I am 20 years old. My father died when I was very young.⁠ We struggled until my mother began to be a prostitute. In the area, everyone knew that my mother did prostitution. It made a big wound in my heart, and it caused me... Read the article...

A Servant to the Suffering

Gaudence is over ninety years old and lives with one of her sons, Etienne, 55 in a mud hut with a straw roof which is just 1.5m². All of their possessions are contained in and around this hut. When it rains, the leaking roof provides little shelter. They sleep... Read the article...

Courage and Conviction!

Imagine yourself without family or friends, unable to claim any support from the state. Unemployment is sky-high, so no work is available, and everybody in your community is poor. What will you do? How will you survive? And when a man comes to you, offering money in exchange for... Read the article...

Back in the Saddle in Burundi!

Our annual epic Tour du Burundi is underway! Nine cyclists are undertaking an average of 100km per day for seven days, including a stunning 38,000ft of fun, sweat, & tears in aid of GLO’s life-saving work in Burundi. It’s all to raise money for our life-changing work in Burundi.... Read the article...

Your Seeds of Generosity…

As part of our project to build a retirement home for destitute Pastors in Burundi, we recently ran an appeal to buy up much of the fertile land surrounding the buildings. This land will be cultivated to feed those living onsite, as with the ample surplus sold to cover... Read the article...

Knocked for Six!

As spring arrives, I’m sure there’s only one thing on the mind of the average British person…‘the cricket season is starting!’ Maybe not for you?! Either way, the cricket season is well and truly underway in Bujumbura. You may have heard of the Street Child Football World Cup, a... Read the article...

Longing for a Heavenly Dwelling

Like any other wife in a small Burundian village, Anastasia earned her living as a farmer. She enjoyed being a wife and mother, and never complained. She was known to be a good neighbour, and her family-in-law appreciated her hard work. Unfortunately, all that changed the minute Anastasia got... Read the article...

If anyone has ears to hear…

In Burundi, illiteracy rates are sadly very high, especially among older generations. Even today, many children are unable to attend school at all, and only 32% of children complete lower secondary education. As a result, there are many people who struggle with day-to-day activities because they are unable to... Read the article...

A Home to Call Your Own

Throughout Antoine’s childhood, he lived in a hut with a straw roof. Was he destined for the same life of hardship?... Read the article...

Sowing Seeds of Success

On the dry plains of Rugombo, once-broken communities are reaping joy and financial freedom! Over 50 families who live below the poverty line have seized the opportunity to work in a new farming co-operative, bringing economic empowerment and fresh hope. Restoration Burundi assists people living in extreme poverty around... Read the article...

Distributing Joy in Burundi!

We recently had the privilege of distributing some of your Alternative Gifts to beneficiaries. Alternative gifts provide a way for people to support people living in Burundi in need. Over Christmas, many purchased Alternative Gifts – after all – what do you buy for the person who has everything?... Read the article...

A New Family Business

One of the primary ministries of RAJEDES is to draw alongside young people lacking employment and empower them with entrepreneurial skills. Recently they have been able to support a fresh cohort of beneficiaries, one of whom was Eric – who received a sewing machine. Eric had been struggling with... Read the article...

Support Summer Camps in Burundi!

Many of us will send our kids, grandkids, and nephews on camps in the West. They may cost £200-£450 for a week. In Burundi, we do camps at £20/$24 per student, i.e. a tenth of the price in the UK! They will have a profound impact on the next generation... Read the article...

A Hard-Won Battle

Salimu serves in the Burundian military, highly trained and prepared to face danger and aggression. Outside of work, he is a happily married man at peace with himself and others, but this wasn’t always the case; it was a hard-won battle. The stresses of his life led him to... Read the article...

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