PROJECT-SUPPORT BURUNDI

Foundation burundikids switzerland, Rheinfelden, Switzerland

Country / Place

Burundi, Bujumbura

Burundi is one of the smallest states in Africa. It borders Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. Most of the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo lies in Lake Tanganyika. Gitega has been the capital of the East African state since January 2019. Bujumbura is located at the northern end of Lake Tanganyika and is the administrative and economic centre of the country. It was the capital of Burundi from its independence in 1962 until December 2018.

General

The aim of the burundikids foundation is to support projects in the fields of health care, education, and agriculture. To achieve this goal, it supports the CENTRE MEDICAL HIPPOCRATE hospital in Burundi in many ways.

The hospital "CENTRE MEDICAL HIPPOCRATE"

The hospital is located east of the city of Bujumbura and close to the Congolese border. The location was deliberately chosen because it is a poorer area. Also patients from Congo can benefit from the hospital.

The success story began in 2009 with the construction of the hospital with a pharmacy, examination rooms, a ward block with 21 beds, sanitary facilities, kitchen, and laundry. In 2011, the gynaecology and obstetrics units were added. In 2014, a further expansion was completed with the paediatric ward with 20 beds.

The hospital is fully functional and equipped with its own pharmacy, an excellently equipped laboratory, an outpatient ward, a gynaecological centre, an operating theatre, sickrooms, and a paediatric ward. The technical equipment of the hospital is up to date and continuously adapted to current needs.

Beneficiaries

In Burundi, contrary to popular belief, there are no different peoples or ethnic groups, but one people with one language: the Rundi. They share the same Burundian customs and belong to the same social and political structures. 85% of the Rundi belong to the Hutu, who mainly practised agriculture. About 14% of the inhabitants belong to the Tutsi, who are mainly involved in cattle breeding, and the Twa (pygmies with 1% of the population) make up the rest.

According to UN estimates, Burundi has 12 million inhabitants and is a very young population, about 50% are younger than 15 years. Population growth is very high, with each family having an average of six children.

Project-support

As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and two flood disasters, poverty has increased considerably and many people have lost their houses and fields due to the floods. Many patients come to the Centre Médical Hippocrate but cannot afford the treatment costs due to their difficult economic situation. Therefore, the hospital urgently needs support for medicines and to cover the hospital costs.