By Ramona Engler | Charity Coordinator
2020 came with a lot of surprises and hurdles for all of us. We were faced with a worldwide pandemic, a severe economically recession and yet we had to learn to strengthen our sense of community during a more isolated life.
As for all of us 2020 came with a lot of challenges for the Murakaza school too. Not only has Covid-19 impaired Burundi’s economy dramatically, moreover in December and March severe floods have displaced many families and the school has taken its toll. Some of the buildings were damaged and the staff accommodations were left inhabitable, with the staff having to live in rented accommodation.
Main achievements: Although the prospects might not always look that positive, the valuable work at the Murakaza school and its great impact on the community provides the staff with a deep resource of hope. In a common effort all staff volunteered to clean up and rebuild the school immediately the next day after the floods, so children could come back to class as soon as possible. With many families being displaced and having to face even greater financial struggle, Murakaza’s role in offering a safe place is now even more important.
Despite all the struggle and thanks to the teacher’s great effort, children were able to continue with the new school year in September. The portion of nourishing porridge has become a vital source to continue improving children’s nutritional status and health. A new registration system enables staff to track student’s attendance and to lower the risk of children skipping school. In addition, although school uniforms are usually expensive in Burundi and hard to afford by many parents, the schools own sewing project enables us to provide free school uniforms for all children. Wearing the uniforms provides the kids with a sense of belonging and a feeling of being part of our community. Besides having to face setbacks, hope and believing in the importance of their work has enabled CAPE to navigate through the difficulties and by sticking together an dnever giving up, continue to improve children’s lives.
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