Posted in Batwa Students Housing, Uncategorized on Nov 3rd, 2008
For over a month now, the students living in the Community for Burundi household have gathered together twice a week around the long tables in their first floor common room for English lessons. Though English is not an official language in this country, having the ability to speak it well is becoming an increasingly [...]
Posted in Batwa Students Housing, Uncategorized on Oct 27th, 2008
The Batwa people face systemic injustice and discrimination. This can be seen in the most-obvious place – the justice system of Burundi. We are learning that often times the Batwa are subject to unfair treatment under the law of their land and left to languish without any advice, advocates or a way out. [...]
Posted in Batwa Students Housing on Oct 14th, 2008
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 [...]
Posted in Batwa Students Housing on Oct 13th, 2008
Renovat Niyongabo, IT StudentRenovat Niyongabo is 22 years old and comes from Mwaro, a region up-country where 99% of the Burundian tea is grown. While his roots are rural, his aspirations could be considered cosmopolitan. Renovat sees the great need for the Batwa to know about technology and have access to current information [...]
Posted in Batwa Students Housing on Oct 6th, 2008
The Batwa live, all too often, in dire conditions. They know what it is to be on the edge, to experience the soul-shredding of destitution. Yet, they demonstrate this deep truth that those who know how to mourn, know how to dance.
Christy Jones is a tenured teacher on sabbatical in Burundi. She [...]
Posted in Batwa Students Housing on Sep 5th, 2008
This coming Sunday marks the beginning of a new season for our Batwa friends – as a dream long held will come to fruition. This past week the Batwa Committee secured a home where 40 Batwa students will reside for the school year. The home is in a new neighborhood and walking distance [...]
Posted in Batwa Students Housing on Aug 13th, 2008
By Christy Jones
On a Sunday morning in July hundreds of joyful Burundians gathered in the courtyard of a local high school to celebrate its annual graduation ceremony. Unlike attendees of graduations in the U.S. sitting in ordered rows in auditoriums or stadiums, those who gathered on this occasion mingled freely with friends and family, [...]