Mushikamo Area Program

The Mushikamo program is in central Burundi. Families here are very active in farming, growing mainly sweet potatoes, beans, bananas, maize, cassava, and coffee. They also keep livestock - there is a livestock market in Mushikamo that attracts people from all over the country to buy and sell cows, goats and sheep.

Unfortunately, ten years of conflict in Burundi turned life upside down for families in Mushikamo. People were killed, families displaced, and buildings and basic systems were destroyed. Families lived in constant fear. Children suffered trauma, and they missed out on education and health care. However, a peace accord in 2003 brought new hope.

Changing Climate
Unfortunately, families face a new challenge: dramatic climate changes. There used to be four predicable seasons, but now there are only two: a long dry season, and a heavy rainy season. During the rainy season, intense downpours destroy young crops and erode the soil, which is already weak from overgrazing and deforestation. Most families are unable to produce enough food, and they go hungry between harvests. As a result, many children suffer from malnutrition.

The heavy rains also cause rivers to swell and destroy bridges . Because of the danger of drowning, children cannot attend school regularly. There are also serious economic impacts: the rains prevent families from successfully growing cash crops like coffee.

The damaging rains are followed by a long dry season, with scorching heat that dries up wells, rivers and streams, leaving families without water. Children are especially vulnerable to illness from drinking unsafe water.

The Most Vulnerable
Life is especially hard for the most vulnerable people, including orphans, single mothers, people with disabilities and HIV, and people with no land. Children in these families are the most disadvantaged, and their families suffer the most poverty.