The food aid collected by the Community of Sant'Egidio reached Bujumbura. It was sent last February from Rome to Burundi thanks to the collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which took care of the transportation in a container. Specifically, the food support consists of 2,000 kg of rice, 1,000 kg of sugar, 3,000 kg of legumes, and 2,500 kg of energy cookies.
The arrival of the package has made it possible to resume distributions - which began last September thanks to the "Burundi Emergency" campaign that was launched from the pages of this website - to the weakest sectors of the population.
Burundi’s economic crisis is the consequence of a serious political and social emergency, which began in April 2015 after its President, Pierre Nkurunziza, announced his intention to run for a third consecutive term, despite the fact that the Constitution provided for only one renewal. After a failed coup attempt in May, the elections, which were held in July amidst tensions and a boycott by the opposition, confirmed Nkurunziza as President. However, the result was contested by a large component of the international community. Thus, in order to put pressure on the government, the international community decided to largely cut off the funding and help that the country was receiving and on which Burundi's economy was based about for its 50%.
The government, who found itself with empty coffers and in the condition of not being able to pay the salaries of public employees, has adopted rigid savings policies that include the lowering of public spending, the cutting of funds for health, education, and agriculture. All these measures have led to a sharp increase in adult and child malnutrition. Additionally, a part of the population is no longer able to afford groceries due to the boost in inflation. Unemployment has also increased dramatically due to a lack of liquidity.
All of these issues take a heavy toll on the Burundinian economic and social context that has been already fragile since the start.
If life has become more difficult for everyone, the weakest sectors of the population are at the end of their tether.
Street children have always been numerous in Bujumbura. In fact, in Burundi, there is a high rate of school dropouts, and many children, who are unable to pass the tough exam that regulates access to high school, end up leaving their families who cannot support them. This occurs especially during the transition between primary and secondary school. In the end, these children aim to find a way to survive in the city. Hence, it is easier to get by begging or doing odd jobs and finding shelter at night in the yards of houses that are under construction.
Today, the number of children who spend the night in the streets of the capital has drastically increased. Unfortunately, there are also many other children, even young ones, who spend the day begging in the streets while returning home in the evening. This happens because of the crisis that weighs on their families.
Finally, there is a new phenomenon in which many old and young women start begging. Indeed, it was rare to see this event a year ago. In particular, these are women whose husbands or children have fled the country because of the political situation by increasing in this way the number of 272,300 Burundian refugees who are situated in the neighboring countries until now.
The arrival of the aid container has allowed the start of the first cycle of distributions. The first allocation, which was organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio in Bujumbura, involved 200 women (most of them are old), some street children, and the families of 50 kids from Kinama, which is one of the poorest neighborhoods of the capital. Each one was given a package of food sufficient for at least one month of sustenance. Many other allocations are scheduled in the incoming weeks, and they are expected in different places of the country.
