As we have seen, protecting the environment and biodiversity is a crucial issue for Burundi, as is hygiene and access to drinking water. With this in mind, Louvain Coopération wanted to invest particularly in these areas and support the local associations that work daily to protect the country's natural resources and the well-being of its inhabitants. Together, they are developing very concrete initiatives for the communities.
The cries of joy from hundreds of children playing around an outdoor tap. Some are splashing about and the teachers, a little overwhelmed, are trying to tidy up the merrymaking. We are in a school in Kayogoro, in the province of Makamba, in the south of the country. Its headmaster, Ernest Niramewa, explains: "We hadn't had any water at the school for almost seven years. The children had to bring their calabashes of water in the morning, and we didn't have anything to fill them with when they were empty. This also created major hygiene problems, as they couldn't wash their hands or use proper toilets. So, obviously, the children are very happy to have water at school, and so are we! "
This scene of jubilation is the result of a micro-project carried out with the Areda association, which is active in projects linked to the local environment and sanitation. A 16-kilometre pipeline linking a spring to the villages below has been completely renovated, bringing water back to the inhabitants. In all, 10 schools, 3 health centres, 5 churches and households on 3 hills now have local access to drinking water, so they don't have to travel 3 kilometres to get it. Next, we want to work with the local authorities to ensure that the water is safe and clean.
"Following on from this, we want to work on making the project sustainable, in particular by teaching local people how to manage these water points", explains Orestin Nizigiyiana, the association's representative. "Awareness-raising campaigns on good hygiene practices will also be organised. For example, hygiene clubs are being set up in schools. These are groups of pupils who identify problems of cleanliness at school and organise cleaning or other actions. "