Our Stories from Burundi

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The Power of Forgiveness

Dieudonné was away at boarding school when his father was murdered. The assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye lit the flame, and the nation slipped into civil war once again. A church leader in

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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...

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...

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