Things politically in Burundi are still difficult (since the refusal of the president to relinquish power in April 2015 as the constitution required) with relative calm underpinned by the threat of political and social upheaval at any point. Against this backdrop, the children at New Generation continue to demonstrate the reality of trying to live peacefully as a community.

Since 2010 we have raised over £80,000 for New Generation in Burundi. In that time we have helped support the vital work of their drop-in centre in Bujumbura for street children. We have secured land for the project to develop a rehabilitation centre for street children in the north of the country, we have bought a van, developed and built the Tree Cafe to enable New Generation to provide sustainable income for the project and train and employ former street children. 

Despite the political challenges in the country, the children cared for by New Generation continue to come to the Bujumbura centre on a daily basis to receive food, take part in activities and be supported through their schooling. With the help of the money we have raised through our cycle ride, new short term accommodation blocks have been built and a new house has been rented to provide longer term support for some of the girls who are now looked after by New Generation (in addition to the existing boys). 

As an organisation that has worked with street children for many years, they know how much this crisis is affecting children in general and street children in particular. When everybody else is running back to their homes for shelter and protection from bullets, street children have no safe place to run to. They get caught up in clashes between the police and the protesters and struggle to find something to eat as most shops are closed and people have no money to give away.

Street Action are currently working alongside other partners to try to secure the long term security of the New Generation site in Bujumbura. Against this broader aim, money raised from the SCCC this year will go to:

1. Expanded Outreach Programme - money will be used to pay for staff (two former street children), food and support for the expanding street outreach program at New Generation.

2. New Boy’s Accommodation - money will be provided to cover the running costs of a new boys house (accommodation for additional six boys) for the next year (including rent, staffing, beds, food and other ongoing costs).

3. Schooling - a small amount of money raised will be used to fund the Back to School programme this month (September) - including uniforms, books and new shoes for the 65 New Generation children who will soon be enrolling in the new academic year.

4. Ongoing funds - any remaining money will be used to contribute to the core running costs at New Generation for the next year. This underpins all the work they do, including providing food, accommodation, schooling, counselling support and leadership training to over 100 children each month.

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