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 the edge of society has sprung up around the dump of Bujumbura, as people scour mounds of waste to find items that can be sold. 

It’s not a desirable place to live – smelly, dangerous, and impoverished. The pressures of poverty make their way into the family homes, and the lack of stability leads to conflicts between partners. The divorce rate is very high, and many mothers raise their children alone. Their personal savings vary from just $2 up to $20. With sky-high inflation, this gives little or no hope for the future. 

Restoration Burundi (RESTOBU), seeking to be the hands and feet of Jesus, are working to bring light to this bleak situation. As part of a multifaceted, holistic development plan, they have started a savings group and are educating the group members on the basic principles of small business management and basic financial planning over 6 sessions. The course also includes Bible teaching because the issues the community faces are deeper than economic.

The course culminates with each member being given a small amount of money to equip them to earn a decent living through income generation. 

During the horrors of the 1993 genocide, Mary, 78 years old, suffered tradgey when her husband and some of her children were killed. She fled to Bujumbura, where she lives until now in a tiny hut she rents. She is a devout Christian, and her faith remains strong in spite of her suffering.

She worked as a market trader, until one evening when burglars stole all her possessions, including her precious Bible, whilst she was at a church meeting. Left with nothing to sell, Mary feared for her survival. The money from the group was timely, as it enabled her to start afresh in business. She is filled with gratitude, “God bless those who sent us this capital. May God bless the work of their hands.”

Philotte, 24, has a husband in jail. He used to work as a motorcycle taxi driver to provide for the family. Left alone, Philotte didn’t know how she would care for their two children. Thankfully a friend gave her a room in their home, and Philotte started to scratch for a living selling the little she could afford to buy. “I couldn’t make ends meet,” she recalled, “I had to borrow from friends just to feed my kids. I am very thankful for this money. I will be able to trade better now because my capital is increased. Furthermore, the classes taught me about my attitude towards clients. Before, I was rude to customers because of the stress I was carrying. Now, I will treat my customers well.”

Petronie had a rocky marriage before divorcing her husband. With the pressure of raising two kids alone, she struggled to manage her finances. “Before the training, I wasted my money – I couldn’t save it. But, they taught us how through saving money we can be prepared for an unfortunate event which may befall us such as illness. This helped me so much. Now, I can trade and get a little to eat.” 

This group of thirteen ladies is the fourth savings group established by RESTOBU in this community, with many more around the country.