Mission Critical

Food and Nutrition

Four years ago Burundi Hope assisted with establishing a health and wellness program at Ephphatha Deaf School and Kanura School for the blind. It is an effort to improve the nutritional deficits and preventive health care for the students. These boarding schools are the perfect environment to institute this program.  

Furaha is a secondary school student at Ephphatha. The photo on the left is from June. The one on the right was taken this week. I barely recognized her. She had lost over 25 pounds and was not well when she arrived after the 2 month holiday. Our nutritionist and the directors confirmed that the majority of the students returned in this condition. The directors of the schools have shared that " the children do not want to return home during holidays because they know they will not be fed well." 

Preventative Health Care

Preventative Health Care is not typical in most Burundian families but through the Health and Wellness program we are able to monitor the overall health of the children and provide them with basic medications, doctor visits and arrange for appointments with specialists. Again, this is something that can not always be provided when the students are not at school. This was the case for a 6 year old boy, Chris ( on the left in the photos below). After being monitored for a recurring illness his parents chose to bring him home for treatment rather than seek treatment from a specialist. Burundi Hope had made the arrangements but the parents made a decision not to follow through. Sadly we were informed he passed away over the holiday. Charlene, on the right needs a surgery for a brain tumor. The parents have been doing all they can financially but the surgery is expensive. A ministry partner heard me tell this story and is sending the funds to help with the operation. What a blessing!

The Challenge

Being able to provide the funds to offset the increased costs of food and health care supplies needed to keep the children healthy and able to continue their studies.

Food costs have risen 40% since I returned from Burundi in May. Any support for these programs goes directly to the schools to help provide for the needs of the 220 deaf or blind students.

Here is a simple breakdown which provides for the needs of both schools:

Additional funds for the General food budget: $750 per month Nutritional Food budget: $1000 per month Health care and medical expense: $500 per month

The long term solution is sustainable projects that will provide the needed income to assist with school operations. Burundi Hope is actively involved with programs to do just that but it takes time. We will be sharing more in the coming months

4th Quarter Ministry Focus Health and Wellness Program

• General Food Budget Goal: $7500

  • Contributions to date: $1500

• Nutritional Food Budget Goal: $10, 000

  • Contributions to date: $5000

• Health Care and Medical Budget Goal: $5000

  • Contributions to date: $2740

Pray for the needs. No contribution is too small!

Consider this: $102 will provide for all these needs for 1 child for the year!