Burundi

Program Group

Program group meetings: Online, a regular monthly meeting every 2nd Sunday of the month at 8:00 pm, plus additional meetings as needed

Contact: burundi@studieren-ohne-grenzen.org

Latest News from the Program:

We are currently supporting ten scholarship recipients. We have already accompanied two female scholars during their bachelor's studies and, since 2024, have enabled them to further qualify with a master's degree. Since 2025, we have significantly expanded the program and now support seven new scholarship recipients in their bachelor's studies and one recipient in vocational training.

The Program Region:

The Burundian education system has been neglected and severely weakened by historical conflicts and political instability, which were reflected, among other things, in the civil war (1993–2005) and the country's international isolation (2015–2020). In addition, the difficult economic situation—Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world—poses further challenges. One of the most serious problems in the Burundian education system is the insufficient and unequal access to education. This affects all educational levels—from primary and secondary school to higher education. As the level of education increases, the proportion of young people with access drops rapidly. Less than 6% of a cohort start university studies, and only 4.18% complete them. In addition, women are underrepresented in higher education (under 40%). We see the promotion of education in Burundi as crucial for improving young people's life chances and for the country's development.

The Scholarship Program

Program start: 2018

Currently supported: 10 scholarship recipients (as of June 2025)

Total supported: 14 scholarships awarded so far, 4 of which have been completed (as of June 2025)

In Burundi, we enable young, disadvantaged people to study with a full scholarship, giving them a future perspective. We carry out our projects in Bujumbura, the country's central university location. In principle, our scholarship is open to all students (from all universities and all courses of study). The full scholarship covers not only tuition fees but also living expenses. This allows our scholarship recipients to focus on their studies and social engagement, even in economically precarious situations. In addition to financial support, we also provide non-material support during their studies. In Bujumbura, our Burundian staff member and our partner organization FVS-Amie des enfants are available as local contacts. From Germany, a member of our program group supports each scholarship recipient through our so-called "buddy system." This also promotes mutual cultural exchange between Germany and Burundi. In addition, we try to draw attention to a country that receives little attention in Germany and to raise awareness of the unequal educational situation there.

Projects of the Scholarship Recipients:

Our scholarship recipients are socially engaged, currently, for example, by volunteering in orphanages. In addition, the scholarship recipients implement their own project during or after their studies. The individual project is often related to the skills acquired during their studies. Examples of such projects include: legal advice for children and women, or workshops on waste management or healthy nutrition. In this way, our scholarship recipients act as multipliers and make their own social contribution in their home country. The effects of our projects thus extend both broadly and over time, far beyond the short-term funding of individual students.

Staff and Partners on Site:

We implement our projects together with our Burundian staff member and our partner organization FVS-Amie des enfants in Bujumbura. They provide us with all the necessary local information, organize the calls for new scholarship places, and take care of our scholarship recipients in case of problems and questions. Their assessments are important to us, as they give us direct insights into the situation on the ground.