Help a Child in Burundi

Burundi, known as the ‘Heart of Africa’, is located in the Great Rift Valley between the Great Lakes region and East Africa, bordering Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda, with access to Lake Tanganyika. Positioned between the Nile and Congo basins, the country holds ecological and strategic significance beyond its size.

While endowed with fertile land and strong potential in agriculture, renewable energy, fisheries, mining, and tourism, Burundi’s development trajectory is shaped by a young population nearly two thirds under 25 and a history of recurrent crises that have left deep social and economic impacts, particularly on children. High poverty and malnutrition rates continue to threaten early childhood development, making sustained investment in human capital essential for long-term stability and growth.

In this context, Help a Child (HAC), a Dutch international Christian NGO founded in 1968, has been implementing Child Centered Community Development programmes in Burundi since 2009, with a national office established in 2016. Working through local partners across multiple provinces, HAC prioritizes Early Childhood Development (ECD) and child protection, food security and livelihoods, and humanitarian assistance. Its integrated and holistic approach combines maternal and child health, nutrition, positive parenting, early stimulation, preschool education, community based child protection mechanisms, resilient agriculture, savings groups, and climate adaptation measures. By strengthening families, empowering communities, and collaborating with government and other stakeholders, Help a Child contributes to placing ECD at the heart of national policies and to building a healthier, more resilient generation capable of driving Burundi’s sustainable development

Help a Child has 4 active programmes:

It all started with a letter…
While Help a Child started working in 2009 in Burundi, the history of Help a Child International goes back longer.