Promoting human dignity

“Empowering women is to empower the entire nation”, this is how development is perceived by people involved in community development focussed on women in Matongo Commune. In Kayanza Provincethe Mothers Union with the support of Christian Aid Burundi has started, an initiative of investing in sustainable livelihood through cooperatives, renewable energy and gender empowerment.

The Mothers Union have conducted trainings sessions aimed to develop skills for women in reproductive health, nutrition, hygiene and food security. Communities in Kayanza as well as in other parts of Burundi live with limited resources and some people unfortunately lack skills and knowledge to make existing resources more profitable.

Kayanza is one of the most populated areas in Burundi. The majority live on agriculture but face complex challenges such as insufficient land, high numbers of people in households, low productivity, and nutrition related diseases.

Kankurize Colombe is one of the women in Matongo commune actively involved in the initiative since it started two years ago. She had faced various health issues caused mainly by ignorance. Her experiences caused her to seek for change. She joined the trainings and then became a trainer of women in her locality. At first people hesitated to engage with different ideas and attitudes especially over issues like birth control. However she and other women who benefited from the trainings are now experiencing change in their families and communities that is having a positive impact on people’s lives at many levels.