Good news from Burundi

14. December 2018
Group of man sitting behind white tables and in front of blue curtains wich darken the room
Social work in Burundi is a relatively young profession that faces the challenges of dealing with the complex problems of a post-conflict society. In 2016, a team from Hope Africa University joined the PROSOWO project in order to promote social work in their own context.

In 2015, the National Association of Social Workers in Burundi – NASW-Burundi – was created in the course of an international social work conference, which was sponsored by the federal state government of Carinthia, Austria. NASW-Burundi was approved under the Ministerial Order N° 225.01/423 of 5 April 2018. It aims to be a national framework for professional promotion in the prevention and resolution of social problems and development of social functioning of individuals, families, groups, and communities.

During the general meeting on 20 October 2018, NASW-Burundi has prioritized four projects until 2024: 1) Zero early pregnancy in schools; 2) Configuration and care of the elderly; 3) Professional support to hospitals, schools and prisons; and 4) Establishment of a drug rehabilitation center. NASW-Burundi is currently serving the poorest people and the first project on zero early pregnancy in schools is already in implementation.

Thus, taking into account the projects that will be set up for the period 2018-2024, there is great hope to impact positively the Burundian society through the promotion of professional social work.