By Overseas Team | Member of Overseas Team
Thank you for your ongoing interest in our work. We are pleased to present the latest report on our Burundi project.
The Challenge: Survival and the Threat of Isolation
Since 2015, we have worked alongside some of Burundi’s most vulnerable populations—conflict survivors, single mothers, street youth, and the unemployed. In our years of grassroots work, we discovered a heartbreaking reality: when a single beneficiary escapes poverty, they often become the target of intense community jealousy, which has even escalated to tragic cases of poisoning.
Furthermore, Burundi is currently facing severe economic inflation. The price of traditional wood charcoal has skyrocketed, leaving families unable to afford the fuel they need simply to boil water or cook a meal. Our beneficiaries needed a way to earn a living that wouldn't isolate them, but instead make them vital, celebrated members of their communities.
Our Solution: A Community-Driven Eco-Economy
In 2024, we launched our Briquette Project. Instead of competing for scarce resources, our team of women gathers unused maize (corn) cobs—agricultural waste—and transforms them into high-quality, affordable eco-charcoal.
This is a true local-to-local economy. By purchasing maize cobs directly from the community, we inject money right back into the neighbourhoods. The impact has been phenomenal. Neighbours now flock to our facility to sell their waste. A new micro-economy has even emerged: local entrepreneurs travel to distant villages to buy maize cobs for 100 BIF and sell them to our facility for 200 BIF, creating a completely new stream of income for themselves.
Instead of being targets of jealousy, our women are now the proud drivers of a new, green industry that creates jobs and provides cheap fuel for everyone.
A "Good" Problem: Why We Need You NOW
Through strategic promotions and by keeping our prices fair despite inflation, the local community has wholeheartedly embraced our briquettes. The demand is massive!
However, we are facing a critical bottleneck. Over the past year, our production team has decreased from 30 members to 14. Some have relocated, while others have stepped back for maternity leave or to get married. (In fact, our amazing first cooperative leader recently married a supportive partner and has found the personal stability she always dreamed of—a beautiful success story!)
While we celebrate their personal milestones, the reality is that our remaining 14 women are completely overwhelmed. Production cannot keep up with the soaring community demand. We urgently need to recruit and train a new cohort of vulnerable women and youth to step into these roles right now.
About Us
Operating in Burundi since 2015, we are dedicated to providing sustainable, community-integrated vocational training for conflict survivors and marginalized groups. We believe in empowerment that lifts up the individual while enriching the entire community.
Join the Revolution! We have the demand, we have the community support, and we have an eco-friendly solution that works. All we need is you. By donating today, you aren't just buying charcoal—you are giving a vulnerable woman a job, protecting the environment, and fueling an entire community's resilience.
Links:
By Channie Cheung | Member of Overseas Team
By Channie Cheung | Member of Overseas Team
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