Burundi

Since the mid-1990s, Cordaid has been working in Burundi on health care, primary education, inclusive justice and peace services, and sustainable agri-food systems with a focus on access to finance.

We also support civil society actors and the local government to ensure they play a central role in our development initiatives. By strengthening systems, we achieve long-term impact and improve the lives of the Burundian people.

SOME OF OUR KEY RESULTS

858,610 people supported with sexual and reproductive health services (2023)
1,020 farmers supported with access to finance (2023)
108,925 school children reached with improved education (2023)

WHAT WE DO IN BURUNDI

Health care
Cordaid has been providing access to quality health care in Burundi for over 30 years, working closely with the Ministry of Health at national, provincial and local levels.

In 2023, we reached 858,610 people through our project to improve sexual and reproductive health using the performance-based financing approach (PBF), financed by the KfW Development Bank.

PBF strengthens the healthcare system through payments linked to the performance of healthcare facilities. This gives them more autonomy and motivates them to improve their services. Our approach has increased the quality of care, improved working conditions for staff and promoted greater community involvement.

Since December 2023, Cordaid has also been building the capacity of health centres to become more ecologically sustainable through better use and management of resources, while minimising negative environmental impacts and increasing resilience to the consequences of climate change.

In the Green PBF project, contracted healthcare facilities will develop business plans outlining their ideas for becoming environmentally sustainable, focusing on medical waste management, water and sanitation, and renewable energy.

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Education
Cordaid has been supporting primary education in Burundi since 2014. The programme reached 206 primary schools and a total of 108,925 children in 2023. Also in this programme, the performance-based financing approach allowed us to strengthen the education system, improve access, quality and governance of education, and increase the number of children attending school, particularly focusing on girls, which is one of our major priorities.

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Justice and peace
Since 2013, Cordaid Burundi has been working in the area of security and justice. We support the Ministry of Justice in the implementation of various strategies to improve access to justice for the general population and, in particular, survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and various forms of human rights violations.

We also promote the digitisation of the justice sector in Burundi and we advocate for policy change to improve the accountability of judicial actors.

Together with several civil society organisations, we strengthen women’s leadership and promote the participation of women and young people in peace-building processes.

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Food systems
Cordaid has been working in the agricultural sector in Burundi since 2015, focusing on climate resilience and improving food systems and market-oriented production.

The Project to Support Development of Innovative Rural Finance (PADFIR) covers 14 provinces and increases the financial inclusion of rural populations. The programme pays extra attention to the position of women and young people and improves employment opportunities, living conditions and household resilience through microfinance, micro-insurance and digitalisation. The project scales up, adapts and develops financial products that meet the specific needs of small-scale farmers.

Agricultural financing in Burundi remains a challenge due to several factors: the lack of expertise in evaluating the financial needs of farmers, the remoteness and inaccessibility of potential clients, and the insufficient awareness among rural populations regarding existing financial services provided by microfinance institutions. We help these institutions gain access to potential customers by strengthening their capacities and developing and adapting tools.

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WHERE WE WORK IN BURUNDI

The food systems programme operates in 14 provinces of Burundi: Makamba, Bururi, Rumonge, Rutana, Gitega, Mwaro, Bujumbura Rural, Muramvya, Bubanza, Kayanza, Ngozi, Cibitoke, Muyinga, and Kirundo.

The education programme is being implemented in the provinces of Bubanza and Muramvya.

The justice and peace programme operates in 9 provinces: Makamba, Bururi, Mwaro, Bujumbura Rural, Ruyigi, Cankuzo, Kirundo, Cibitoke, and Bujumbura-Mairie.

The health care programme operates in 10 provinces: Makamba, Bururi, Rumonge, Rutana, Gitega, Mwaro, Ruyigi, Muramvya, Cankuzo, and Karuzi.

PARTNERS AND DONORS

KfW, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Burundi, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, Ministère de la santé Publique, Ministère de la Justice, Ministère de l’éducation, les Institutions de Microfinances, Care International, Associations des Femmes Rapatriées du Burundi, Association des Femmes Juristes du Burundi, Association de Développement pour l’Intérêt Social, Bar Association, Observatoire de l’Action Gouvernementale, Bibliothèque Sans Frontière, AUXFIN.