Orphanage building project in Burundi
Organisation: Mission International
Location: Gatumba, Burundi
Project: Building an orphanage
In 2008 Charles and Valerie Carr made the adventurous and noble decision to sell their home and move to Burundi in East Africa for a year with three of their sons to oversee an orphanage building project orchestrated by the Dundee based charity Mission International.
Burundi has a population of 8 million, over half of these under the age of 14 years old, and has been rebuilding itself since civil war in 1972. HIV and the effects of the war have had a significant impact on the demographics of the country and the number of orphans in the country has left the government unable to cope and reliant on outside agencies. Mission International acquired land in Gatumba outside the capital Bujumbura and the Carr family set about managing the project.
Throughout the year the Carr family were there and since then, work would have to stop and start as funds dried up but despite the challenge the family and the head of the orphanage, Pastor Leonard, continued with their work until the children were able to move in.
Adsum contributed funds to building the Hope Centre Burundi, which consisted of six houses of accommodation including running water, showers, toilets and sinks for eight children per house, including a ‘mama’ to look after them, and there are plans for a vocational school and clinic for the surrounding community. The children and the head of the orphanage Pastor Leonard now live in four of the houses with plans ongoing for the rest of the project.
