Sponsor's update from Gitega, Burundi

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Gitega, Burundi from Winter 2007/2008.

Dear Friends,

Trough this mail, it gives us a great pleasure to keep you up to date with the latest happenings of our SOS Children’s Village. We hope all is well in your respective families.

Since our past mail of June, no significant political progress has been made for the hope of the population; the still warring Hutu People’s Liberation Party and the Government don't succeed in reaching an agreement on the implementation of the Arusha accord. Divisions within political parties and the bad governance hold up the works of the National Assembly. Human rights violations are common. The climate is not conducive to Burundians’ blossoming.

Despite this situation and bolstered up by your support and that of other partners, the Village registered significant achievements during this past semester.

In the framework of SOS children long-term care, 17 new SOS children aged between 1 and 7 have been admitted into the Village some of them were in a very critical nutritional state. Two youths have been transferred to the youth homes. One youth who obtained a scholarship from the Government for University training in data processing in Senegal has been resettled. Three other youths aged between 19 and 20 have been reunited.

Following the admission, transfer processes to youth homes of youngsters and resettlements and or reunifications, current numbers are 124 children and youths divided up in 13 family houses of which 66 girls and 58 boys. As for the 6 youth homes, they count 89 youths of whom 37 girls and 52 boys.

Children's education in Gitega, Burundi

In the field of education, 29 children attend the SOS Nursery School, 52 are in the SOS Primary School, 2 are in a public primary school, 22 attend the general and technical secondary education, 2 are following a practical training and 17 children are not of school going age yet.

Among youths dwelling in youth homes, 3 have just completed the secondary and technical education and two attend University training. Others are still attending the secondary and technical education among whom 9 will finish in July 2008.

For education grounds, the village is supporting 31 children and youths who were reunited with their biological families. This support will be stopped for 15 youths in December 2007. The general success rate of our children and youths is 82, 5%.

To increase the accommodation capacity with the school year 2007-2008, the number of forms of our SOS Primary School has gone from 10 to 11. Thus, the pupils’ numbers have risen up to 27 in relation to the school year 2006-2007. Therefore, the number of pupils has gone from 377 to 404.

As youth blossoming and development program, the Village participated in the organization and welcoming of holiday camp that regrouped from 23 to 28 July150 SOS youths of the 4 Burundi SOS Children’s Villages (Gitega, Bujumbura, Rutana and Muyinga. In addition to themes like « childhood and adolescence » and « conflict mitigation», the particularity of this holiday camp was contributions of an SOS mother from Gitega who spoke of her work experience as a 20 year old SOS mother and an SOS adult who expressed himself on his life during and after his stay in the SOS facilities. The two interventions aroused big emotions for youths. Youths also shared with youths from the Gitega community sporty and cultural activities namely a soccer match, a basketball match, beating drums, movies, fire camp…