VAP News > News archive > 7th May 2019: Volunteering in Burundi
Burundi is special. It is one of the smallest African countries, and one of the most beautiful, with beaches along the shore of Lake Tanganyika and steep slopes covered with banana trees leading up to the cooler plateau country in the interior.
VAP’s partner organisation is ABSV (Alliance Burundaise du Service Volontaire), founded in 2007, bringing together two small voluntary associations founded by young Burundians keen to build a nation based on peace and reconciliation, based on sustainable development. Burundi suffered from a decade of insecurity. ABSV and others are trying to build a more hopeful future.
ABSV is based in Buterere, a suburb of the capital, Bujumbura, where people are generally poor and their homes are liable to flooding. ABSV has run workcamps here, helping to rebuild homes, teaching English, advising on HIV/AIDS and working with the local community. ABSV has been involved in distribution of school materials and food, small income-generating projects in villages, assistance to street children, construction of houses and other help for Batwa (pygmy) families, delivery of seeds and hoes, planting of 12.000 fruit trees in Kinama and Buterere (Bujumbura).
ABSV received few foreign volunteers as the country is not well known and the flight from the UK involves changing at Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Brussels but for those with a pioneering spirit it can provide a great experience.
Burundians speak French and the national language, Kirundi, but an increasing number of people know English and many also speak Swahili.
Workcamps are organized most months and some medium term volunteer posts are also available (see the database for details). Burundi waits for you!
Nigel Watt, VAP’s chairperson
yap-uk
+44 0208 123 5927
