Trip to Burundi: No Passport Needed
A Conversation with BFI Founder Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian
BFI unites and educates youth, women, and men, creates economic empowerment, and builds self-sustaining communities in Burundi, East Africa.
Burundi is a small country in East Africa about the size of Maryland, located between Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. Burundi is divided into 18 provinces, with its capital in Gitega. While the primary languages of Burundi are Kirundi, Swahili and French, the primary language of business (and associated opportunity) throughout Africa is English.
BFI’s Education and Economic Empowerment programming efforts specifically align with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with an emphasis on the following Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal #4 – Quality Education
- Goal #5 – Gender Equality
- Goal #8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Goal #10 – Reduced Inequalities
- Goal #11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Goal #16- Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Our mission is to develop and culminate these focuses in order to one day achieve Sustainable Development Goal #1 in Burundi - No Poverty.
Knowledge is power. BFI works to expand opportunity in Burundi by providing learning materials to the eighteen provinces to propel education and support Burundians in their search for knowledge. Learn More about BFI’s Education Pillar
Here at BFI, we believe that self-sustainability and economic empowerment are created through education not hand outs. We have been working with women coffee growers to achieve this and meet our goals of ending poverty in Burundi. Learn More about BFI’s Economic Empowerment Pillar.
“Never in my life did I think I’d be here,” says 23-year-old Peilla Ishimwe, describing
The BFI monthly newsletter provides insight into the lives of the Burundian people and communities we serve. Learn more about our work, and the impact it is making in Burundi.
If you would like to learn more about Burundi Friends International and how you can help or volunteer, contact us and join in work that provides genuine hope, and a path to the future!