Burundi YMCA

After an in-depth training on Youth, Peace and Security by AfricaAlliance of YMCAs, YMCA Burundi has enthusiastically embarked on an ambitious project to support vulnerable single mothers.

Today, on February 1, 2025, YMCA Burundi had the privilege of convening with 20 single mothers facing challenges due to unintended pregnancies. These courageous women have been marginalized by their families, and some have even been evicted from their own homes.

In an atmosphere of compassion and warmth, YMCA members shared a convivial moment with the women. Refreshing Fanta and delicious food were served, fostering a sense of joy and togetherness.

Laughter and lively conversations filled the air, transforming the gathering into a moment of connection and hope.

YMCA Burundi remains committed to providing ongoing support to these women, offering them counseling, skills training, and access to economic opportunities. Together, we will work to break the stigma and create a better future for them and their children.

Saturday January 25 2025 under the Gift of Christmas project , a humanitarian initiative by YMCA Burundi, we had the privilege of sharing a moment of heat and solidarity with the vulnerable children of our community.

These children, who had benefited from school equipment in September, this time received meals and drinks in a joyful and fraternal atmosphere.

This event is part of our continuous commitment to support children in a vulnerability, offer them not only material help, but also moments of happiness and comfort.

Together, we work to build a better future for each child

We have started a new initiative last year called Orphans care initiative. the goal of the initiative is to give a family to the orphans in Burundi

We have already brought in 3 orphans and have other 3 on our waiting list.

Our aim is that in july we will be able to take in orphans and provide a family for them. if you want to be part of this initiative or want to know more about the initiative, Please reach out to our national office in Bujumbura for those who are in Burundi or send us an email.

Get ready to join us in a joyful moments this summer on 15th July to 20th July

On this day of 14th November 2024, members of the YMCA Burundi organized a Sunday school with the children of the EEAC Kanyosha church. This is an opportunity to give them a gift in order to wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2024.
Cishahayo Adolphe, the deputy of YMCA Burundi who organized the activities, wished the children and their teachers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and asked them to continue to respect God and grow in His grace.
Nininahase Magnifique the leader of Sunday School from EEAC Kanyosha is very grateful to YMCA Burundi for thinking of visiting them and giving them a donation.

On 15/11/2023, the secretary of YMCA Burundi BUTOYI Main-donnée took a trip to Kenya. He attended the 12th General Assembly of Africa Alliances of YMCAs. The trip will last four days

1. Creative people
2. Loyal people: abantu bakuba hafi
3. People who share your vision: bakunda iyerekwa ryawe
4. Wise and intelligent people: baciye ubwenge, bafise ubumenyi
5. People with complementary gifts
6. People of influence
7. People of faith
8. People of integrity

On 24/10/2023, the organization YMCA Burundi organized training for regular members of YMCA Burundi and volunteers. The lectures were held at the community center and were about leadership. the inviter was pastor Freddy, who used to be the leader of the organization jeunesse pour christ, and is now the leader of the church BAGOTH.
Every person is created by GOD who has a reason for creating him, what he has to do with him, that is why every person before doing anything should ask GOD why he created him and what he should do. Many young people hurry to go to foreign countries to look for life, but the leader had to ask God that what they are going to do is what God has allowed them to do and that He has planned to do it where they are going.
Vision
The vision is that thing you have to do, you want to achieve in life before you leave the world, it does not stand to have material wealth because material wealth is enriched by having knowledge.
Beside all of that there is a wealth that is superior to all of that, and it is the wealth of knowing what God has created (God’s purpose) for our lives, what he wants us to do.
Bill Hybels: vision is a picture of the future that produces passion; A vision is a picture of the future that you see in the distance, and it makes you feel uneasy about it
A person who wants to go far in leadership, must follow the leadership, if you are married, give the leadership that is in front of you before you become a leader.
«Your attitude will determine your altitude» a person’s attitude is what shows where he will reach, you have to reach greatness by learning from great people who have done great things.
A sailor must be a protective, fearless person.
You are a leader, you get many opportunities to get many different things but you have to be reliable when you have to go far.

The lesson given by pastor Mike had come from Ohio State in the United States where he had come to Youth Camp organized by YMCA Burundi

Theme: Why did GOD create you?

1. From the beginning, God wanted people to praise Him, and the first purpose God created us was to praise Him.
2. God wants us to be the light of the world.
3. Preach the gospel to the whole world:

• Jerusalem: in the community
• Judea and Samaria: those in different provinces
• At the ends of the earth: in all the countries of the world

At the meeting of 09/8/2023, members of the YMCA Burundi family together with volunteers worked together to learn about leadership and to discuss together the activities that are being planned.
Before the classes started, the leader of YMCA Burundi Arthur Manirambona came to remind how the YMCA started and that it had the goal of bringing change in the society through the youth where Georges Williams and his friends did great work that brought about change in the world all through the YMCA. He continued reminding that YMCA Burundi also aims to help the youth of Burundi to bring about change in the society because there is a lot to change in Burundi.

Mr pastor Régis

Leadership
* There are 2 leaderships
– Spiritual guidance
– Physical leadership
*Being a leader comes at a cost
* Characteristics of a true leader
1. He has a good relationship with God
2. He promises his listeners and discourages them
3. He must be a person who is affected by the problems of others
4. Follows his work to the end
5. He must be a person who has value in society
6. He sets an example for others

* There are obstacles that cause the activities to not continue or not go well
1. Not exchanging words
2. Disagreement in leadership
3. Not agreeing on certain things
4. Behavior
5. Burnout
6. Not putting other people’s opinions first
7. Be humble
8. Seeking one’s own interests
9. Look at the big picture
10. Being too selfish
11. Unpredictability
12. Do not destroy
13. The sailor makes his own decisions
14. Failure to see action
15. Money
16. Mistrust
* The teacher concluded by saying that a leader must be someone who overcomes obstacles

Burundi is small country located in the heart of Africa. It is between Rwanda, Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo in the East of Africa. Torn apart by a recurrent civil war, Burundi is now the third poorest country in the World. The 10 years civil war has left many wounds in people’s hearts and the wounds are still fresh.

Burundi is a landlocked country in the great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Great Lakes region and East Africa with a population of around ten million. Burundi has been ravaged by civil wars for many decades since its independence in 1962. The recent one lasted a decade from 1993 to 2003. These civil wars have stunted the Burundian economy and now the country is classified to be the third poorest country in the World. There are countless issues in the country brought by the wars including a high number of orphans and street kids and lack of sufficient health infrastructures.

But there is always hope even in the darkest time. Young people are rising up to build their communities and bring a positive in the country. They need to be empowered in many ways to be able to change the nation. Burundi YMCA vision is for the young people and their families to empower them to become the leaders who will change Burundi and Africa.