During the visit to install the first Integrated Multimedia Library (IML) room at Gitaba public elementary school in Rutana province, Grassroots Relief Services (GRS)  provided school kits to 50 vulnerable primary and secondary school students. This action is part of the Access to Education and Leadership building of Vulnerable Children (AELVC) initiative.

As usual, the ceremony of donation to the students took place in the presence of the school director, administrative authorities and families of the beneficiaries. The school kits included learning supplies (notebooks, pens, erasers, etc.) and especially English books for the grade 6. In addition, 200 additional books included in the national school curriculum were offered to the school thanks to the support of King's School International - Burundi. This support in learning books was very much appreciated by the school management, considering the limited resources available.

The next session of the AELVC program is scheduled for the start of the 2023-2024 school year. GRS continues to mobilize partners to support this initiative that contributes to Education For All and targets more children in different regions and countries.
Donations to the program are still being received online and partnerships can be solicited by contacting the organization's management 

Cooperative creation that groups women to empower them through loan and saving system and promote income-generating activities in Rutana commune.

In the framework to empower the vulnerable community of Gitaba,GRS selected 30 women who are poorer than others and grouped them in an Association the 20^th of May 2023.After listening to their small projects they have, GRS gave them capital money for them to carry out such projects.GRS was monitoring the implementation of those projects. The main projects they chose were raising domestic animals such as pigs and rabbits. Others chose to do business in reselling tomatoes, bananas etc.

The positive results from those projects are:

• Ability for those women to be able to buy some school items for their children
• To reduce poverty in their families
• Feel confident and not to rely on their husbands
• Buy clothes for them and their children

Note that we selected few among many women who need assistance.

In the framework of improving the social cohesion between the populations of Rutana commune on one hand and to discover the talents of the children of Rutana Commune on the other hand, GRS rehabilitates a mixted basketball and volleyball pit located in Gitaba zone in Rutana Commune. The pit was finished on first May 2024 and it was operational from that date.

This initiative was appreciated by the leaders of the province and it is producing the results below:

• The civil servants of Gitaba who used to attend bars after working hours because they had nothing to do, now they spend time playing for fun and their money is saved and is used usefully in their families
• The people with different political opinions now meet and play together so they forget their political divergence.
• Youth is no longer lost in drugs, prostitution and other futilities rather they spend their time enjoying the games.
• Children are discovering their talents, which help them to improve their skills.

GRS did this project to put into practice its areas of intervention.

Creation of integrated Multi-Media libraries in schools: Case of Gitaba fundamental school

Thanks to  the generous material support of our partners, GRS has installed the first multimedia library room at Gitaba Public Primary School in Rutana Province, Burundi, within the framework of the Integrated Multimedia Libraries (IML) program.

The installation and opening ceremony of the multimedia library room was held on Friday, October 7, 2022 in the presence of the representative of GRS, the Director of Studies of the King's School International - Burundi, the Governor of the province of Rutana, the officials of the school  and the local population.

This support will contribute to the development of digital education and reading for 2,055 girls and boys in the surrounding elementary school (Muyovozi, Mika and Gitaba).

We conducted a field mission in Rutana province on September 3, 2021 to carry out a targeting survey of vulnerable children within the framework of the Support to Schooling and Leadership of Vulnerable Children Program (ASLEV 2021-2022).

The survey team of Engaged for Grassroots Relief Services (GRS), composed of the legal representative and two volunteers, went to the field to interview households to collect the necessary data to assess their vulnerable situation. These interviews focused on the situation of their children who were of school age but not in school, as well as their economic and social living conditions.

In total, approximately 100 families were visited in seven hills (Mataba, Mahama, Mihigo, Mivumu, Matutu, Muzibaziba and Nyahu) in the Gitaba zone of the Rutana commune. The processing and analysis of the data collected allowed the identification of 75 most vulnerable children/families among whom the priority beneficiaries of the program were targeted.

Rutana, Burundi – June 16, 2025

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen community resilience and promote socio-economic development, Global Relief Services (GRS) conducted a comprehensive training session on entrepreneurship and community empowerment for the residents of Matutu-Gitaba in Rutana Commune on June 16, 2025.

The training focused on equipping participants with practical knowledge and tools to improve their livelihoods through savings and loan systems, a proven strategy for grassroots economic empowerment. The session was facilitated by a GRS consultant who provided clear guidance on how communities can organize themselves into self-managed savings groups and use internal resources to support small businesses and family needs.

In addition to the economic component, the training also addressed a critical social issue: Violence Based on Gender (VBG). Participants were sensitized on how to recognize, prevent, and report acts of gender-based violence within their communities. The session encouraged active dialogue, community vigilance, and a shared responsibility to create a safer and more equitable environment for all, especially women and girls.

At the end of the training, participants expressed deep appreciation for the valuable insights gained. Many highlighted the relevance of the topics covered and the practical approach taken by the facilitator.

“This training opened our eyes,” said one community member. “We now understand how to work together to improve our lives and also how to stand against violence in our families and community.”

The initiative is part of GRS’s broader commitment to empowering vulnerable communities through education, awareness, and sustainable development practices. With such activities, GRS aims to foster a culture of self-reliance, dignity, and mutual support in Burundi’s rural regions.

The success of the session in Matutu-Gitaba is a promising sign of what communities can achieve when given the right tools and knowledge.