Burundi
The Archbishop's International Development Secretariat has been working directly with the Province of Burundi on a number of development and advocacy related activities, since the Archbishop's visit there in 2005. The most significant of these has been a provincial education programme, which has delivered new school places to over 1,500 children across Burundi, through the construction of 3 primary and 2 secondary schools over the last 3 years.
The Archbishop's office has also helped create advocacy opportunities with the UK Government with regards to the recent elections and the rebuilding of a peaceful sustainably developed country. It continues to highlight the vital work being carried out by the local church in relief and development and has helped foster new programmes with Anglican partners around climate mitigation and micro-finance. To find out more about the range of relief and development activities of the Anglican Church in Burundi, please visit their website http://www.anglicanburundi.org/ and sign up to receive their monthly newsletters.
Supporting the community development work of the Anglican Church in Burundi, in partnership with government and NGOs to reconstruct education facilities in Burundi following years of destructive civil war.
Burundi has experienced decades of war and genocide and although a peace treaty was signed in 2006, Burundi has existed in a limbo between stability and low-intensity clashes. Although the situation is not yet entirely secure large numbers of refugees are returning, many to find that the land they once owned is occupied by someone else and that basic facilities are not readily available. Children in post-conflict countries such as Burundi need special support to get back on track, through education school can act as a stabilising force for communities affected by conflict as well as providing a forum to explore issues affecting the whole community such as health, nutrition, HIV and AIDS.
Recently the government of Burundi has introduced universal primary education but providing this is a great challenge in a country ravaged by civil war, with poor infrastructure. The government of Burundi has recognised the church as a key partner and over the past three years the International Development Secretariat (IDS) has been working with the province in Burundi to strengthen their education programme.
Following the Archbishop of Canterbury's visit in 2005 the Secretary for International Development has assisted the church in establishing partnerships with a range of partners, including NGOs (Tearfund, Christian Aid, CMS Ireland), local and national government and private donors.
Through this multi-donor consortium the Anglican Church in Burundi (PEAB) has been able to embark on series of education projects in the Bujumbura.
Several school buildings, which were completely destroyed during the civil war, have been reconstructed and others have had their facilities rehabilitated or improved through the building of new classrooms, latrines, administration blocks, dormitories, libraries and laboratories.
In order to ensure that this programme is sustainable there have been two main areas of focus alongside construction activities:
i) Capacity building for provincial and diocesan staff; in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes; to increase the church's ability to deliver a successful and well managed programmes now and in the future.
ii) Building effective and strong partnerships with local and national government, NGOs and other civil society organisations; for continued capacity building, and civil society inclusion in dialogue and implementation of national education targets.
Recent items relating to Burundi are shown below:
April 2007
Archbishop's Positive Meeting with Vice President of Burundi
20 April 2007
The Archbishop met with the Vice-President of Burundi, Dr Martin Nduwimana. The meeting took place at…
August 2005
Forget the tea and cakes. How the Mothers' Union is riding to the rescue of Africa
7 August 2005
An article by the Archbishop of Canterbury published in the Independent on Sunday.
July 2005
Archbishop - Education crucial to Africa
20 July 2005
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has urged the development of university education in…
Archbishop's tribute to Burundi's Anglican Church
18 July 2005
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams - who is on an official four-day visit to Burundi - has…
Sermon at the enthronement of Rt Revd Bernard Ntahoturi as Archbishop of Burundi
15 July 2005
An address by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at the Prince Louis Rwagasore Stadium,…
Archbishop to visit Burundi, 15-21 July 2005
14 July 2005
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will preach at the enthronement service of the Rt Revd…