A village in Burundi is being transformed. 

Chris, 15-years-old and the eldest of six children, had stopped going to school so he could care for his younger siblings. Without clean water, Chris’ siblings were always sick, and he needed to walk kilometres to get clean water for his family.  

However, with help from the Diocese of Gitega’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Project, the village’s spring has been recently improved. New piping, a concrete base, and a tap system means that the water is protected from contamination. Now, Chris’ siblings are healthier, and he has returned to school. 

“With clean water, I have hope again,” Chris said. “I can go to school, learn, and, one day, help my community and serve God’s work.” 

Since the project began two years ago, average school performance has increased by 11.8% and the school drop-out rate has fallen by 21.5%. 

The Gitega WASH Project is part of a wider transformation story in Chris’ village. Since 2021, the Gitega Food Security Project has been helping 50 farmers to improve their farming methods, increasing their harvests. As part of the project, participants also met weekly to hear from God’s word and pray.

Mènèdore, one of the participants said, “Not only did we benefit materially through all the inputs the project has brought here in Nyagisenyi, but, also, we have benefitted spiritually. We came to know God. I came to know God. This was something new in my life.”

Since the Diocese of Gitega has been working with the village, the local church has grown dramatically.

Praise God for how he is answering your prayers and using your gifts to transform lives in Burundi. 

For Your Prayers 

Pray that other communities in Gitega will gain access to clean water.