Gihanga, Bubanza

>> Quick Facts <<

Located in Bubanza, NW Burundi

Combination topography of mountains, valleys and plains – very beautiful!

Majority of household-heads are illiterate*

Nearly 55% of the community has lost at least one child*

97% of people retrieve their water from the unsanitary river, 1-2 hours away on foot*

*Data taken from a 2023 baseline assessment of the specific community we work with in Gihanga, not the entirely of the commune of Gihanga

Meet the Community

We are working with around 50 families living in the Gihanga commune in the northern province of Burundi called Bubanza. Mostly consisting of Batwa, a marginalized ethnic minority in Burundi, they share a similar history to those in Nyarumanga of being forced off their land during past years of unrest in the country. Their current land is not large enough to support them as an agrarian group, so most cultivate their crops on the lands of others, often walking many hours barefoot foot every day, including 2 hours just to the nearest well. On a good week, this community was eating once per day, but due to a number of problems, one meal in four days frequently became the norm. Their shelters consist of mud, sticks, and rubbish, which tend to collapse during rainy season, severely endangering the families inside who number 8-10 people per household. Despite these hardships, they love to dance using their makeshift jerry-can drum and sing songs about God’s provision and how proud they are to be Batwa!

Our Partnership Story

In 2022, a local Burundian leader approached Yada, having heard of our heart for vulnerable communities and the testimony of the work in Nyarumanga. They asked us if we would be willing to come meet another community who were in a similar situation of great distress and might be open to a partnership. We happily agreed and drove the one hour north of Bujumbura down a bumpy road surrounded by rice fields to connect with the leaders of these 50 families. It quickly became clear that the Lord’s hand was at work, as the families were open and willing to discuss what a relationship with Yada would look like, and our hearts felt deeply drawn to each other. We’ve spent the last year developing that relationship, earning trust, hearing their hopes, and collaborating on a strategy for development.

Find our strategy below!

Our Focus

We always have long-term sustainability in mind so we do not create an unhealthy dependency within the communities we serve. To do this successfully, we adhere to a three-stage development model – Relief, Rehabilitation, Development. Read more about this model on our home page.

Stage 1: Food, Shelter, Water

After conducting a baseline assessment, we found that food, shelter, and water were the greatest immediate needs. In the first year of partnership, we provided a life saving monthly food package, as the families were eating once every 4 days. In 2025, we began to rebuild homes one by one as we receive funding. We’re also providing a porridge program for the malnourished youth and nursing mothers until families are fully self-sustainable. For water, we’re optimistic that our well will be finished this year! If you would like to be a part of the vital relief in Gihanga click here.

Stage 2: Agriculture

Together with our partner, Foundations for Farming, we are focusing on training the Gihanga community on revolutionary ways to cultivate the land. Though still in the early stages, we’ve already seen beautiful yields of beans, rice, and maize. Our hope is that as we continue to care for the land and offer helpful training to the farmers, the community will be able to feed their families themselves! What’s really beautiful about FFF is their holistic approach, where they focus not just on the best way to steward God’s creation, but also how much God loves the farmers themselves!