Not long ago Evariste Ndinzemenshi was unsure of how he was going to manage to finish his final year of secondary school.  His family, who struggles to allow three of their eight children to attend school, did not have enough money for all the necessary school fees.  But this young man believed that God would make a way for him, and so he prayed.  Then he heard about the Batwa Education Project by Community for Burundi and now rejoices, believing this to be the answer to his prayers.

In this new setting, Evariste enjoys the daily routine of attending school, coming home to a relaxing environment, getting to eat a nutritious dinner and then studying in the evening among fellow housemates.  He also enjoys engaging in two of his favorite activities – reading and singing.  He reports that he now sleeps soundly each night with the knowledge that his sole concern is doing well in school.

Evariste dreams of continuing onto university after he graduates next spring.  He plans to major in economics so that he can teach his family and other Batwa how to use money.  He believes that at this time the Batwa communities do not have a sound knowledge about how to use money well.  He wants to help change that for future generations.  He sees himself working in the banking system, and one day starting a development project to create new opportunities for Batwa to benefit from agriculture and other micro-enterprises.

He also hopes to be able to support himself someday, to be able to live in a big home that he owns.  And he has a vision of a sign he will post over the door:  “This is a Mutwa’s house.”  He wants the pride of ownership, but also to signal to the wider community that the Batwa people can accomplish economic success, too.