Sponsor's update from Rutana, Burundi

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Rutana, Burundi from Winter 2008.

Dear Friend,

Yet again, we are delighted with this opportunity to post you on to the happenings of our SOS Children’s Village during this second half of the year 2008. We snatch at this opportunity to express our heartfelt greetings and wish you a Merry Christmas and our best wishes for happiness and prosperity for the year 2009. We are very grateful for the interest and commitment that you unceasingly show us.

The socio-economic situation in the province of Rutana is getting worse day to day. Food produce are more and more rare and expensive. This is due to climatic disturbances in the region and the ceaseless changes in fuel prices at the national level. This lies at the root of the unceasing jump in price of basic commodities such as rice and beans. To partly grapple with this soaring food prices, the Village established a small stock for 4 months for these products at the period when their respective prices were still 850 BIF per a kilo of rice and 630 BIF per a kilo of beans.

Following the decision taken by the government of the United Republic of Tanzania to close down all Burundian refugees camps on its land by 31 December 2008, the massive return of those Burundians is an another social and political phenomenon which accentuates the poverty of province.

Children / youth of the Village are happy. They are beaming with good health and have a good physical and mental development. 2 new children were admitted into the Village in September thus bringing the number of children / youth from our village to 151. All these children / youth are enrolled in school: 20 are in nursery school, 95 at the SOS GH Primary School of Rutana and 36 youth are attending the secondary schools of whom 17 in residential school. Also, 8 young girls in the Village will be transferred to the first youth home which opens its gates in this beginning of November.

2007-2008 school year academic results are satisfactory: the 20 children who were enrolled in primary school, grade 6 have all passed the examination giving access secondary education thanks to a good framing both at school and in the village. What is more, a child from our village had extraordinary good results 180 out of 200 compared to other winners from other SOS Villages of our country. Equally, on 124 children and youths who were enrolled in school, 108 moved up a class with annual growth of 87.08%.

Celebrations at Rutana, Burundi

Children/ youth holidays were organised in July / August and almost all children / youth spent the holidays with their biological families. 6 children who could not go to their guardians’, they spent their holidays in family of the network of friends members and local sponsors who have organised to take to their home in August.

Two SOS youngsters from our Village took part in a sub-regional holiday camp held in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 27 July to 3 August, 2008. Participated also SOS youngsters representatives from Rwanda and those of other Villages of Burundi and the DRC. It was an occasion to share to share best practices on the theme: "SOS Youth, prepare your success".

In the framework of self-realisation, 8 SOS families made days out / excursions with the Village Director on the different tourist sites of the region. They benefited from that opportunity to interact on their family concerns and their future prospects.

The International SOS Day was celebrated in style on 27 June, 2008 under the theme "Safeguard the child’s rights" and coincided with the school celebration. Children / youth from the Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) were invited.

From 6 to 9 July 2008, nine pupils from our SOS Primary School , grade 5 and 6 participated in the essay contest organised by UNICEF under the theme: ‘My vision for the children's parliament in Burundi’. One youngster from the village won the best prize: a cassette recorder with a CD player. During this period, UNICEF held in Bujumbura a training on child rights for all competitors from all over the country. They returned with a rich documentation on the subject.

Equally, our SOS primary school children took part from 10 to 31 October; in 2008 World Peace games for children and youth with children from the 5 primary schools of the surrounding community. The activities involved are drawing on the theme ‘peace’ and a soccer tournament. Messages regarding peace cultivation were disseminated.

Support for the community at Rutana, Burundi

As for Rutana SOS Medical Centre activities, 3, 356 medical curative consultations against 3, 085 in 2007 (roughly an 8.8% increase) and 47 preventive consultations were carried out. Also, 2, 701 samples belonging to 1, 789 patients were analyzed. Most analyzed exams are generally parasitology exams (thick drop for malaria, stools) and Biochemistry (Hepatic balance and diabetes).

This increase is largely bound to the quality of services provided to beneficiaries and the different partnership agreements signed between SOS Children Burundi and other partners (The national Council for Fight against Aids (CNLS), Geneva Global, Burundi Network of HIV-positive persons (RBP+), Public Service Insurance Company.

As regards HIV / AIDS, 499 volunteers were tested for HIV after pre-test counselling, the rate of HIV infection is 6.6%. 89 Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) are under antiretroviral treatment including 24 newly admitted ones. They monthly receive food aid under Geneva Global and WFP support. 8 FSP beneficiaries are part of that group. CNLS and RBP+ also contribute in the PLHA medical care by paying bills declared.

The FSP currently counts 282 OVCs divided up in 99 families. 21 families having reached empowerment got out of the program in June 2008 and were replaced by 20 families with 42 OVCs in September after analysis and community involvement in defining criteria for identification. 8 Income Generating Activities were funded and 7 families were supported in the building of their houses.

Also, to build guardians and communities capacities, community trainings on the fight/ HIV/AIDS prevention and on creation and management of associations were carried out. 9 associations are in creation.

In the field of staff development, 4 new SOS mothers followed, at the HG Training Centre of Kigali, the 1st sequence of a three weeks’ initial training in June. Also, the professional mothers retreat was held nationwide and, all SOS mothers participated in it.

On the framework of partnership, a German NGO ‘GTZ PREBAD’ operating in Rutana province, provided to the Village a donation of rice bags, refined palm oil and balls during the celebration of the 2008 SOS Day.

On 9 October, on the initiative of SOS Children’s Village, a basketball friendly match was played between the SOS staff of Rutana and the NGO IMC (International Medical Corps), a partnership agreement was negotiated in the health field. The celebration of June 16; the African Child Day was conducted by our SOS Children’s Village in collaboration with the provincial authority and the NGO Help Channel Burundi. A conference debate around 7 exposés on child rights protection was livened up.

In the joy to wish you once again good 2009 festive seasons, please accept, Dear Friend, the expression of greetings of children / youth and all our co-workers.

Augustin HAKIZIMANA
Village Director