Our Stories from Burundi

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Astounding Stories from a Stunning Campaign!

This summer marked the 20th anniversary of our huge evangelistic campaign with Harvest Initiatives, and it was the biggest yet! Over the years, we’ve typically sent out around 800 evangelists for two weeks

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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...

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... Read the article...

A Divine Encounter!

I love these stories! We get bombarded with so much bad news in general, that all the more I see it as part of our job at GLO to tell inspiring tales of overcoming. Meet Divine, She was an orphan living in Nyanza lac in the South of Burundi.... Read the article...

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...

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...

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