By Daphne Davies | Volunteer journalist
This is how a government ministry report assessed the school. The report asked the school to increase the number of classes it could offer in the future, and to continue with school activities as Murakaza is one of the few schools to organise these.
We believe the CAPE project, and the Murakaza school are offering a vital service to children in Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world with a GDP per capita of $280, and with more than two thirds of the population below the poverty line.
Burundi one of the poorest countries in the world
The closure of country borders, as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, has further accentuated poverty and made life harder for its citizens. Many small traders have gone bankrupt and can no longer obtain supplies in the sub region. Others who manage to import fabrics from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are drowning in taxes, and other customs hassles. If they can't afford all these extra costs, the goods are taken from them. Many who had made a loan to buy these goods, are left in a terrible financial situation.
Against this difficult background, school enrollment has suffered, and at the beginning of the school year stood at 150 (down from 230) and by March 2021 there were 138 students attending the school. Some children had left for medical reasons, while others had been sent to family members living in the interior of the country, because families were too poor to support themselves.
Parents thank us for continuing to keep their children at the school
“However”, say the staff, “we are fortified in our actions by parents who thank us for continuing to run the school, as otherwise their children would be begging on the streets, and it shows we care about families, who have been forgotten by the system”. For the moment the school has had to stop the school feeding project, as funds are so low, but it continue to welcome the children who are keen to learn, and know that the school is a safe haven for them.
This makes it more important than ever for CAPE to be able to continue its work, despite severe budgetary restrictions, so please continue to support its efforts.
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