Burundi

Snapshot*
Population – 8.7 million
Internally displaced persons – 100,000
Refugee – 9,849 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Life expectancy – 52 years old
Median age – 17 years old
Infant mortality rate – 61 deaths for every 1,000 live births
Fertility rate – 6.4 children per woman
HIV/AIDS rate – 6 percent
Infectious disease risk – Very high
Literacy rate – 60 percent

Life in Burundi
Shortly after holding its first democratic election in 1993, Burundi erupted in a long-running civil war that left an estimated 300,000 people - most of them civilians - dead, and several hundred thousand displaced. While a peace agreement was reached between the government and rebel factions in late 2002, security remains tenuous, and the lengthy process of disarming thousands of soldiers and former rebels, as well as forming a new national army, continues. The conflict crippled Burundi’s economy and weakened the health care system. Forced from their land, farmers could not plant grain, causing food shortages and ultimately, malnutrition. The Government of Burundi now faces the formidable task of reviving its shattered economy and helping its people get back on their feet.

Helping Communities Help Themselves
Bringing Relief
Since 1995, International Medical Corps (IMC) has worked to support Burundi’s vulnerable through health and nutrition interventions, namely:
• Primary health care
• Secondary health care
• Maternal and child care
• Expanded immunization
• Nutritional screening and therapeutic and supplemental feeding
• Community-based Therapeutic Care
• Sexual and gender-based violence support, education, and prevention

In addition to supporting government health facilities, International Medical Corps works to protect those most vulnerable to malnutrition such as mothers and children in areas where drought and food shortages have exacerbated an already severe malnutrition problem. IMC promotes better nutrition within targeted communities by operating therapeutic and supplemental feeding centers in health facilities, as well as promoting home-based treatment through community-based therapeutic care.

International Medical Corps is also working to create a support system and stimulate community awareness about the effects of gender-based violence. The program uses group dialogue between rape survivors and different community members, as well as outreach to health professionals to mobilize citizens to prevent gender-based violence and treat those affected.

Enabling Self-Reliance
To make its relief efforts sustainable, International Medical Corps’ programs train Burundians to fill the following roles in their programs:
• Community health workers – Educate peers in basic health, such as preventable diseases and nutrition
• Traditional birth attendants – Help ensure clean, safe deliveries for Burundian mothers and their babies
• Health care workers - Provide primary health care through IMC-supported health facilities, effective management of health facilities, as well as nutritional support in supplemental and therapeutic feeding centers
• Health authorities – Manage health systems at provincial and local levels.

International Medical Corps collaborates extensively with local stakeholders, providing Burundians with lifelong skill sets through training programs and technical support. As a result of IMC training, local health workers are better able to treat common diseases and meet the specialized needs of rape survivors. In addition, community educators are now more empowered to disseminate information about nutrition, sanitation, and sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS.

In addition to health practitioners, International Medical Corps’ community-based nutrition program trains parents of children younger than five how to prepare healthy foods from available, affordable local products. This approach also raises community awareness about how malnutrition can be corrected through a change in food practices and behavior.

You Can Help Build Change That Lasts
There is still significant work that must be done to support the people of Burundi in their efforts to strengthen their health infrastructure. Please join International Medical Corps and be a part of this rebuilding process. By providing assistance in the form of nutritional assistance, technical support, and training, we can help strengthen Burundi to handle future challenges on its own. Click here to help Burundi and other IMC programs worldwide.

*Statistics from U.S. Government