Tens of thousands of students and teachers in Burundi are returning to schools with clean water. That wasn't always the case. Before a clean water system was built in March 2023 students at Kigomera primary school and a nearby college literally had to climb down and back up a mountainside to a river to access water, which was not clean. Thanks to supporters like you residents in this community of 2,500 and students who attend the schools have clean water.
Before the water system was built students would collect water from the river before class.
The Kagogabo Primary and Secondary School students had a similar story. “Before, we were obliged to go to the river to fetch water,” said Sebastian Ndyimana, an English teacher at Kabogabo. “The water people were drinking was not good at all. There were so many people getting ill because of drinking bad water.” The Gazelle Foundation completed a clean-water system in the community in that continues to work today.
Additionally, the ability to keep a school environment – as well as its students – clean leads to increased focus during lessons. That is the case at Kivumu Primary School, where Charles Ndayishimiye serves as Headmaster. The Gazelle Foundation completed a clean-water system in the Kivumu area in 2015 — the water system continues to work today. Thanks to your support, students and teachers can focus on education and achieving their big dreams.
Construction of water tank, part of the infrastructure of water system.
The Gazelle Foundation has long recognized that access to clean water is the only way to break the cycle of poverty and to bring hope to the people who need it most. When communities have access to clean water, they experience improved health, as waterborne illnesses are the leading cause of death in Burundi. Better educational opportunities, safer communities, and improved economic opportunities are all the direct results of access to clean water.
The water systems employ a low-tech, sustainable approach built to last a lifetime. All construction happens locally, with materials purchased regionally and community members employed in system creation, both for the economic investment and the investment in building long-term local skills. How we build water systems
Perhaps most important, the clean water from these systems is free and accessible to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion. Each drop of clean water works to build a stronger, more hopeful country, one community at a time.
