Access to education of Orphans and Vulnerable Children at the Matana secondary school

Anne Merveille

Anne Merveille was born on December 30, 2003 on Ruziba Hill in Mpanda Commune in Bubanza Province. His father's name was Ntahokagiye Albert and his motherHatungimana Perpetua. Her father died in 2008 following a car accident and her mother was swept away by an illness in 2013. After the father's death, Anne Merveille's mother asked for help from the community because it was difficult for her to to live alone his seven children. Anne Merveille was rescued by a maternal aunt at the age of 5 while her siblings were welcomed by other relatives.

Anne Merveille's aunt lives in Kanyosha Zone, Muha Commune in Bujumbura Town Hall. She is a member of the Child Protection Committee (CPE) that FVS-AMADE BURUNDI "Abagenzi b'Abana" supervises since 2007.

Anne Merveille's aunt bring up Anne Merveille as own child. Anne Merveille is one of the children supported by the solidarity group "IshureRirakiza" of Ruziba. Anne Merveille was identified among the orphans who passed the grade 6 with very good results

Arthur

"Sometimes I get distracted when I'm alone, isolated, thinking about my parents who have died out," says ARAKAZA Arthur, an orphan with 12-year-old father and mother. He was born in Matana commune at Mugano hill in Bururi province, but after the death of his parents, he lives in the chief town of Makamba province with an aunt. Before joining the Matana School of Excellence, he was studying at ECOFO Confidence I in Makamba. He says he feels comfortable with the other children he has met since his arrival here at the School of Excellence. Before leaving the house, his aunt warned him that he will not have to be kidding because the children he is going to study with are gifted, calm and disciplined children. A. Arthur says he will study with courage and respect the educators and the school rules in order to stay at this school he has loved since his arrival and continue to benefit from the quality training there. He dreams of becoming a pilot to transport people abroad, otherwise he would like to be a doctor to be a very literate and important person in society. In his free time, he enjoys reading notes, sleeping a little and playing basketball.

Bella

Aged 13, Bella is the eldest of three children. In 2015, his father and one of the children died. After the death of Bella's father, her mother had to leave her husband's property and return to her home in Kibago. Maladive and helpless, the mother does everything to join the others in the solidarity group "IZEREBIBONDO". With the help of a legal assistant, a process of family property recovery is under way in Songa commune of Bururi province.

Among the other children in Kibago commune who receive support in school kits from solidarity groups, Bella stands out for her good school results.

Caritas

BUTOYI Caritas is from Kirama Hill in Kayogoro Commune in Makamba Province. Laureate of EOFO Kabizi I of the same Kayogoro, B. Caritas is 14 years old; she lives with her mother and siblings (six children in the care of the mother, three of whom are still on the school bench). She never saw her father because he died when she was still young. His mother who does nothing but agriculture must do everything to provide for all the needs of these children. No other person or organization helped me during my schooling, except UNICEF, which sometimes distributed notebooks to all the students in my school, it was my mother who arranged for everything; says B. Caritas. Two of her brothers and her sister dropped out of school for various reasons: the girl because the teacher whipped her; a brother was fired for bad hair and did not return to school; the third had to give up because he did not want to study with his little sister (Butoyi Caritas) who was going to join him in the sixth year. She says she is very happy to find a place at the "child-friendly" reference school; She is preparing to follow closely the classroom lessons and educator tips to succeed at this school that hosts children who have had good grades. She is strong in mathematics and thanks the Organization and anyone else who did something for her to be admitted to this model school.

Christella

Born on the hill Musange, Christelle was part of a family of five children. His father died in unsolved conditions and the day after his funeral he was dug up and his body was not found.

It is the solidarity group "TUGARUKIRIMPFUVYI" of the Musanga hill that offers the school material every year to Christella. The leader of the solidarity group and the social animator say that the life of Christella's family depends largely on the support of local associations and churches. Her mother tries her best to contribute in her solidarity group. The little piece of land in the family is in conflict.

Divine

She was born at the end of 2004, the date is not precise because her birth was not at the Commune. It was while she was still a girl that her mother, NDAYISHIMIKIJE, had her. She, too, was still living with her mother, NTAWUMENYA, who lived on Mudende hill, Mudende area, Buyengero commune, in Rumonge province.

Denis BAZOMBANZA, Divine's father, was already married to another woman and father of other children when she was born. Originally on KINWA hill, KIRYAMA area, in Songade commune, Bururi province, He went to look for work in Buyengero when he met Divine's mother.

When Divine was 2 years old, her mother left to marry and never returned to see her daughter again. The little girl stayed with her grandmotherNTAWUMENYA who, too, died of a natural illness a few months later.
The same year, the father of Divine died of an illness but he had already reported in his family that he had a child with a girl from the commune Buyengero.

The legal wife of Divine's father, Euphrasie NDAYISHIMIYE, had pity and had the courage to go find Divine at the end of 2006. The new tutor raised Divine as her own child, she is a member of a solidarity group of hill, and the child is on the list of children supported by the local group. Divine finished 6th grade with 80%.

Dorine

Dorine is the penultimate of a family of 11 children. Since the death of his father four years ago, the household lives in a situation of extreme poverty: small unproductive plot, no livestock. To make matters worse, Dorine's paternal uncles do everything to mistreat her mother. Of the 11 children in the family, one graduated from university two years ago but is still unemployed. During the long holidays, children are forced to do some work that sometimes exceeds their strength to support themselves.

Dorine's mother is a member of the "Dukorerehamwedufasheimpfuvyi" solidarity group on Nyamugari hill and she tries to contribute somehow. The solidarity group offers school kits to its schoolchildren.

According to members of the solidarity groups and some administrators, Dorine's family deserves support because there is a risk of dropping out of school while Dorine is a brave child in class

Floriane

Floriane, the fourth of 7 children, was born in 2001. She comes from an extremely poor family in Matana commune, Gasibe area, Ntega hill. Her mother, who is mentally ill, lived a life of wandering. Her father is poor and has a small farmland behind the house, which is not enough for his family's needs. After the 6th year, Floriane succeeded with a good grade and was sent to the Reference School "Amie des Enfants," which means friend of children in English, in 2014, by "Abatiteragira," a solidarity group that has always supported the girl in her schooling.

When she arrived at the Reference School of Matana, Floriane was a sad student. At school, the director, who is a psychologist, as well as the supervisors, have done their best to improve her situation. But she was missing the presence and the affection of her mother. The FVS-AMADE Burundi then decided to have Floriane's mother treated. A place in a psychiatric hospital was released, but it was difficult to find the patient. She spent a month in the hospital and is in better health now. Floriane is delighted and grateful to have found her mother.

Her academic performance has improved thanks to the support of the various stakeholders, the comfort, and the support offered by the school. She enjoys studying and, in her spare time, she is a member of the school's Protestant choir.

Floride

Floride enrolled in the Reference School of Matana city "Amie des enfants", which means friend of children in English,  in 2014. Originally from Gitega Province, in Gishubi, Floride is orphaned. Today, she is in the 1st year of High School diploma in sciences. She wants to study medicine. She is proud to attend the  Reference School in Matana. Since she began her studies there, she has had very good grades.

"Being with other children in another environment allows me to reduce my anxiety for my family."

She says she continues to work very hard to get her mother and sister out of the grievances of her half-brothers who still want to hurt them.

"The knowledge I get here at school opens my mind and gives me assertions to protect my family."

Ghyslaine

Ghyslaine is the eldest of a family of 5 children in Rutegama, in Gitega commune, Gitega Province. She is an orphan of father. Her family lives in extreme poverty so she cannot access health care. When her mother gave birth to triplets, one of the babies died because she could not afford to nourish him. A solidarity group then had mercy on Ghyslaine and helped her by giving her school kits. Although she has to help her mother with the housework, Ghyslaine always succeeded with very good grades. She finished the 6th grade with a score of 86.6%.

Seeing the poverty of her family, despite her brilliant academic achievements, Ghyslaine had decided to leave school to find work as a domestic worker in the neighborhoods of the urban center of Gitega to help her mother. She knew that her mother could not afford to pay for her high school.

The solidarity group, which helped her with the school kits, referred her to the Matana Reference School "Amie des enfants." When her candidacy was approved, Ghyslaine's mother had a hard time believing it. She wanted, in her poverty, to accompany her daughter to Matana to see this place that would welcome her daughter. She then asked for a small credit to her solidarity group to pay for her bus ticket and she worked for 15 days cultivating the land for the neighbours.

Ghyslaine is grateful to the Reference School "Amie des enfants" of Matana, which gave her the opportunity to have a better education and allowed her mother to see the importance of integrating a solidarity group. Today, Ghyslaine is a fulfilling child because she knows that her mother is able to take care of her brothers and sisters. She loves to pray and get knowledge by reading books.

Don Divin

A native of Mpinga Kayove commune in Rutana province, IGIRANEZA Don Divin is fatherless. He lives with his mother, leader of a solidarity group working at Gihera Hill in the Kayero area. Since his first day at the School of Excellence, he says he loved school; he finds her beautiful and clean and is very happy because he is going to study with intelligent, peaceful children, who do not fly ... He is ready to study tirelessly, to follow the lessons of class and to obey the teachers in order to be able to keep his square. Being selected to study at the reference school has given him an idea that he must realize when he grows up: helping children in distress. At the end of his studies, he would like to be a business manager or a university director. As such a personality, he believes that he will have the means to be able to help others; in addition he would like to assist the people who are helping him at the moment by what he feels that those people who are interested in him now will one day be old and will need someone to take interest in them. At home, when he is resting, he takes care of his little hen house, plays football with the other children. "To anyone who has helped me and helps me so far, I ask them not to tire of it; I always need them and I dream to give them back the good they have done to me ".

Félicité

IGIRUBUNTU Félicité, 12 years old, is a fatherless orphan, winner of ECOFO Bugeni from Vyanda commune in Bururi province. She lives with her sister at her grandmother's house because her mother remarried after her father's death. The grandmother is unable to feed them and ensure their schooling; at the beginning of the year, she received some school materials from her local solidarity group. To the question of how she prepares to face in class other children as well or more talented than her, I. Félicité says that she will not waste time in gossip with the comrades and that she will avoid any loss time; she will concentrate all her energy on finding knowledge and doing the homework and other work done by the teachers. She would like to become a doctor or teacher, the first to care for the sick and the second to pass on her knowledge to others in order to help prepare intellectuals for the country. As entertainment, she enjoys singing, visiting friends and helping them do small jobs in the house and after, playing with other children of her age.

Bélyse

Born in Maramvya of Burambi commune in the province of Rumonge, IRADUKUNDA Bélyse studied at the Kiganza Communal High School before coming to the school of excellence. Orphaned by his father, his mother has difficulty in meeting the needs of all his children: needs in education, clothing, food. She pushes a sigh of relief for having had a place in a boarding school, where benefactors pay her school fees and other materials needed for a student. She says that she will strive to follow the advice of educators and will study courageously by revising the courses seen in class, so that she does not fail at the end of the year. "I will advise other children to study courageously to get good grades in class; if they have done well, a chance can smile at them and be guided in modern schools like me. " I. Bélyse really enjoyed the school, to see the buildings, the food served, the benevolence of people at school, the cleanliness of the premises ... When she finished the important activities, she visits friends, plays with them other children and takes care of small household activities at home.

Ciella

Orphaned father and mother, 12-year-old IRAKOZE Ciella lives with a foster family and is not related to her. After the death of my parents, we were driven out of the rental house; a girl friend of mine introduced me to a family in her neighborhood. She has accepted to raise me and since then I live with this family who has not yet had a chance to have children, says I. Ciella. Apart from their charity, this family is not rich at all! There is hardly enough to eat; they were school friends who gave me notebooks they had in excess and pen for me to study. She says she has aunts and uncles but since the death of her parents, none of them came to see her, she does not even know where they are at the moment. She likes washing dishes, playing with other girls but at home; she says that she plays only with a small child adopted by the family because the other children of the locality are undisciplined; she does not want to be familiar with them. At school she plays football. Their school even won a women's team cup last year as she tells it. She expresses her gratitude to the association (Solidarity Group) "Dushigikire ibibondo" and any other person who helped her to meet at Matana's "friend of the children" reference school. I have nothing in return for the benefit they have given me, only God can reward them. She says she will study hard not to lose this opportunity; as strategies, she will work as in competition by reviewing the notes, asking questions ... so that her academic performance does not fall. She loved the place, framers and sisters (who are sisters) very benevolent, no one mistreats her ... She lives in the Musaga zone of Muha commune in Bujumbura town hall.

Jovithe

Jovithe was born on June 15, 2004 in Kinama in Buyengero, the Province of Rumonge. She became orphaned in 2008. After her father's death, her mother became mental ill. Jovithe and her mother lived in a small hut and her paternal uncle fed them. Jovithe took care of all the housework, also worked in the fields with the help of her young neighbours. But despite the precariousness in which she lives, she still manages to be the first in her class. A solidarity group, which followed her in her schooling, referred her to the Matana Reference School.

When she arrived at school, Jovithe was anxious and worried about leaving her mother without any other help. She asked another person who could help her mother so she could calm down. In November 2017, when she just arrived at school, Jovithe's mother passed away. Returning home for the Christmas holidays, Jovithe's mother was no longer at home and her uncle purposely concealed the sad news, saying that he could not inform Jovith about the death because it occurred during the  1st quarter examination period.

Jovithe had a psychological shock and felt guilty for leaving the mother alone to live in the boarding school. It took her time to accept it but with the psychological and moral support she received at school, she is now serene and has resumed the course of her life.

She continues to have very good grades at school. She is now in Grade 9 and is now part of the students who were an immersion trip in English language in Uganda in July 2018.

Lauraine

Lauraine was born 13 years ago in Gitega, on Bihororo Hill in Giheta. She lives today with her maternal aunt Bukuru who is the twin sister of her mother Butoyi. Butoyi got married before Bukuru and two weeks after the birth of Lauraine, she died. His father then became mentally ill.

Once in the mourning, Bukuru found Lauraine's father giving hot water to a two-week-old baby because he had nothing else to feed her. Bukuru then took care of her. When getting married, she took Lauraine to raise her.

At school, Lauraine was hardworking. She was often in charge of the house, which prevented her from going to school. Despite this, she had good grades in the 6th. But as her aunt could not afford high school, the solidarity group, which supported her schooling for two years and that her aunt integrated for a year, sent Lauraine to the Reference School of Matana "Amie des enfants," in 2017.

She finished the 7th grade with a score of 62.9%. Lauraine is proud and grateful to attend the Matana Reference School. She thanks the FVS-AMADE Burundi who is always helping her and the people who sponsor her to have access to a better education. She loves prayer and wants to become a sister.

Eric

NDAYISHIMIYE Eric comes from Gishubi hill in the commune and province of Muramvya. Living with a physical disability in his leg, he studied at Saint Kizito School in Bujumbura. He was stuck with one leg and wearing a protèze. His mother who is only a farmer is unable to provide all the expenses related to his education, reason why since his 1st year, he studies thanks to a Sister who provides for his needs. It's a privilege for me to come and study at this school where I will be with disciplined, intelligent children and where I will be in the hands of good people who consider me as their child and treat me with dignity, says N. Eric . He says that his mother was also very happy when she learned that her son had a place in the school of excellence, where he will receive treatments and materials that she can not provide to live worthily like the others. children. Eric promises that when he manages to take care of himself and live his own life, he will help other needy because since his childhood, it is thanks to benefactors that he arrived at this stage. To continue to have good grades, he says he is well prepared to fight for being always first. He says that he will succeed because he is used to being autonomous in the management of time and knows how to respect the programs he has established. He dreams of becoming a doctor because he is a respected person in society, who has studied a lot (and he admits that doctors have already done a lot of things for his health, which is why he would also like to be useful to others). In leisure time, he likes to read. I read very often a notebook in which I noted many words and their translation into English, French and Kirundi; even when I keep the goats, this notebook does not leave my hands. I also like talking with friends, exchanging stories ... He is 16 years old. He is late because he was hospitalized for a long time because of the leg that was finally impeded.

Nadine

Nadine is currently in the 9th grade. She is from the Bururi Province, Mugamba Commune, Nyagasasa Hill.

She lives with her mother and four brothers. When her father died, her grandfather wanted to marry her mother, but the mother did not want to. Then her grandfather drove them out of her father's property. The neighbours had mercy on her family. They built them a small hut where they all live together, with their goats and sheep. Nadine's family found itself without arable land, hence its vulnerability. To feed the family, her mother works cultivating for the neighbours or rendering them other services. In return, she earns 1 Euro per day or receives 1Kg of beans.

"When I enrolled in the Reference School of Matana, I was not comfortable leaving my family. I always wondered how my mother alone would be able to feed my brothers. I was always worried."

But over time, she has been able to adapt and is determined to study hard so that one day she can change the conditions of her family.

Nella

Small and dynamic, 12-year-old Nella is the third in a family of four children. Born in Gisozi, Mwaro province, she is a motherless mother. His father, a disabled person, can not work in the fields. His brothers and sisters are domestic servants. While Nella was begging on the Gitega-Mwaro road, a teacher had a lot of trouble for her. He took her to her family in Bugendana, Gitega province. He enrolled her in primary school and continued to look after her. She obtained an excellent grade at the end of her primary studies. A solidarity group helped Nella's tutor for the school kits. The members of the CPE of his hill collaborate with the FVS-AMADE Burundi to find the family of Nella in Gisozi. It can then be directly supported by the Mwaro branch while being reunited with his family.
Nella is today in 7th (equivalent 6th). She is second in her class. At school, she has more time to focus on her studies. She appreciates the way teachers teach without sparing time and listening to students. His favorite subjects are entrepreneurship and history. She is very sociable and quickly made a lot of friends. In her spare time, she likes to sketch and play basketball.

Jeannette

Orphan mother, NIHORIMBERE Jeannette, 14, lives with a maternal uncle. She has never seen her mother and does not know where her father is, who is still alive. The last time she saw him was at a family party; she was in 4th grade. It has been identified through the Solidarity Group "akeza kanezereza impfuvyi" on Kuwikirari Hill, which used to support them with school materials. The director of her school found her to be intelligent and pleaded for her with the Communal Social Animator in Rutovu. Here's where she meets at Matana's "child-friendly" reference school, a school she finds beautiful, clean, modern and spacious compared to her home school, ECOFO Kuwikirari. I thank the good God who made me chosen as a candidate for this school, I know other children who had good grades like me but they did not have this chance: thank you to my Director, thank you to the FVS - AMADE Burundi, thank you to the family who welcomed me and educated so far; expresses N. Jeannette. She asks all these benefactors to continue their good deeds by helping more children in vulnerable situations. She loves the teaching profession, the way in which teachers instill knowledge into the children until they come to know something they were totally unaware of. They are 7 children from his family but none lives with the other, they are scattered in different families; there are even brothers and sisters to her that she has never met. She is the youngest member of the family and is told that one of her brothers lives in Bujumbura, one of her sisters is in Muyinga, another in Uganda; another sister of hers lives with the sister of the mother who hosts N. Jeannette ... As a hobby or pastime: I sing, do traditional dances, play football ...

Claudine

"I am looking forward to the beginning of the lessons to see how the classes are going on here, to get used to the system and to take my precautions to study diligently"; says NIYIBITANGA Claudine Florence. Laureate of the ECOFO Rweru I of Giheta commune in the province of Gitega, she orphaned father and mother. She lives with her brothers and sisters (they are 5 in total, all students), in the family home. They manage to survive and afford school fees and materials by cultivating the land left by their parents but also by plowing for the neighbors, for small sums of money. No other person helped them survive, except for the solidarity group on their hill that provided them with notebooks and pens at the beginning of the school year. She feels very happy to be in the school of excellence where life is beautiful, no heavy work that prevents the student to focus on courses, she received a cover against the cold and other materials including she had needs for life at the boarding school ... I do not have the habit of having free time because we depend on ourselves: every minute is used for any activity: draw water, prepare the food, plowing, washing clothes ... the one who arrives first at home arranges all that is necessary while waiting for the others to return from school; answers N. C. Florence when I ask him the question of his hobbies. She asked the FVS - AMADE to continue supporting orphans and other vulnerable people without any particular consideration.

Alice

a native of Kayokwe commune of Mwaro Province, NIYONSABA Alice is destitute despite the presence of all her parents. In order for her to study and have something to eat, a "good Samaritan girl", a friend of her mother, agreed to take the girl to her home, while promising Alice's parents that she would go to school and buy her some equipment. and the school uniform. As N. Alice says, her grandfather sold all the land and her family only stayed with a small piece of land where she built a small house. Nowhere to cultivate to have enough to support even the basic needs of life. To have food, his parents must have someone from the neighborhood who offers to plow the land for him; so they can buy flour or tubers and vegetables. Despite the poor living conditions of her parents, this destitute is very talented in class: she finished sixth grade with 86% overall average, a grade that is rare for students studying in schools in very remote areas. She is brave, enjoys doing housework, playing women's football; She also likes to play small children games such as rope jumping, hide and seek ... I am ready to study seriously, to follow the lessons carefully, to avoid distractions and vagabonding in order to keep my place here. a school of excellence where I will have to face other more gifted and intelligent children; said, Alice. She feels strong to get used quickly to the learning environment at the school of excellence. She sincerely thanks everyone who has helped bring her to this beautiful school and says she will do everything to honor the trust these benefactors have in her. At the end of her studies, she would like to be a teacher: she loves how teachers share their knowledge with others by cultivating them, educating them, transforming the lives of children. Otherwise, I also prefer to become a doctor to care for sick people and to treat them.

Désiré

Mother orphan, NTAKIRUTIMANA Désiré lives at her grandmother 's house with her little sister. After the death of his mother, his father brought them to live with the old lady who could take care of them enough because the last two children were still very small. The other children stayed with his father who is a farmer. He was studying at ECOFO Kibago in Kibago commune in Makamba province. His father lives from the work of the land and the manual labor he does at his neighbors' house to get some money. He does not see how to express his joy at being selected among many other children; he is determined to be disciplined and to study a lot for him to succeed and become smarter. He feels that there will be little to distract him and prevent him from concentrating on studies as was the case at home where he played a lot with the children of the village, which took a lot of his time. studies. He likes to help his grandmother in the fields, keep goats, play football, listen to music on the radio ...

Bella

At 13 years old, Bella is the oldest of three children. In 2015, her father and one of her siblings died. After the death of Bella's father, her mother had to leave her husband's property and return to her home in Kibago. Sick and destitute, her mother did everything in order to be accepted into the solidarity group "IZEREBIBONDO". With the help of a legal assistant, a process of recovery of the family property is under way in the Songa commune in the province of Bururi.

Among the other children in the Kibago commune who are also beneficiaries of the school kit support from solidarity groups, Bella stands out for her good academic performance (75.5%).

Divine

She was born towards the end of 2004, though the date is not precise as her birth was not been registered with the Commune. She was born when her mother, NDAYISHIMIKIJE, was still a young girl who herself still lived with her mother, NTAWUMENYA, who lived on the Mudende hill, Mudende area, Buyengero commune, in the province of Rumonge.

Denis BAZOMBANZA, Divine's father, was already married to another woman and was the father of other children when she was born. Originally from KINWA hill, KIRYAMA area, in the Songade commune of Bururi province, he went to look for work at Buyengero when he met Divine's mother.

When Divine was 2 years old, her mother left to marry and never returned to see her daughter again. The little girl stayed with her grandmother NTAWUMENYA who died of a natural illness a few months later.

In the same year, Divine's father died too as a result of an illness, but he had already reported to his family that he had had a child with a girl from the Buyengero commune.

The legal wife of Divine's father, Euphrasie NDAYISHIMIYE, took pity and had the courage to go and find Divine at the end of 2006. The new guardian raised Divine as her own child, she is a member of a solidarity group of the hill, and the child is included in the list of children taken care of by the local group. Divine passed from primary school to secondary school with 80% in her final exam.

Augustin

RUKUNDORWIMANA Augustine is an orphan of father and mother, he lives with his married sister while his other 3 sisters live alone in the property left by their parents. He is a laureate of ECOFO Rweza in commune and province of Gitega. He was identified through a solidarity group "Dufashe Impfuvyi" from Rweza Hill. He really enjoyed the school of excellence! Upon my arrival here, a teacher showed me around the school telling me how we study and I was moved by the welcome. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to study here, a needy like me, while there are children from rich families in my community who did not have this opportunity; said R. Augustin. He adds that he will study seriously not to shame people who have sacrificed their time, energy and means to be admitted to this school. At home, he takes care of housework: drawing water, cooking while reviewing notes, washing clothes ... He also likes to play football and cycling (cycling) during free time. He thanks everyone who has helped to find him a place in the school of excellence, may God protect them; he wishes them good health and long life. He hopes he will finish his studies and have big diplomas to become a teacher or a big businessman (trader).