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Build: Livelihoods and Economic Resilience.

Hard work deserves a way forward. Savings groups, farmer training and kitchen gardens that turn effort into income, food and choice.

Many women in rural Burundi work every day and still can’t build savings. Many farmers grow food and still struggle to feed their households. Without a buffer, one bad season or one illness can pull a child out of school.

Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA)

In a savings group, women save together, lend to one another, and hold each other accountable. By the end of 2025, 1,350 women were saving in 56 groups. Together they shared out nearly 270 million Burundian Francs, money they reinvested in school fees, farm inputs, small businesses and family needs.

The groups do more than save. Women lead meetings, resolve disputes and make decisions together. In an area deeply affected by Burundi’s 2015 crisis, they’ve become a place where trust is rebuilt.

At the end of each savings cycle, the group gathers to count, verify and share out what its members have built together. Every franc is counted in front of everyone. It’s a day of transparency, trust and pride, and the start of new plans: school fees paid, seeds bought, a small business opened.

The farming school

Each year, households join a one-year training programme in modern, organic agriculture: crop management, composting, soil improvement and seed storage. In 2025, 50 farmers trained across 3.8 acres. The first 25 graduated and started their own agribusiness. The second cohort are parents of children from our nutrition programme, so a child’s recovery is matched by a family’s ability to feed itself.

Skills for business

We help savings-group members start and grow small businesses. Through our “She Rises for Change” project, women trained in soap-making and business skills, and celebrated their graduation in 2024.

Kitchen gardens

We help families plant durable home gardens with a variety of vegetables, bringing fresh food to the table every day. In November 2025 alone, our farmers harvested 168 kg of fresh vegetables.

Skills for business

We help savings-group members start and grow small businesses. Through our “She Rises for Change” project, women trained in soap-making and business skills, and celebrated their graduation in 2024.

Kitchen gardens

We help families plant durable home gardens with a variety of vegetables, bringing fresh food to the table every day. In November 2025 alone, our farmers harvested 168 kg of fresh vegetables.