AFSC strategic priorities in Burundi
Through 2018, AFSC is focusing its work in Burundi in three key areas. Working with people affected by war and violence—particularly women, youth, ex-combatants, returnees, and internally displaced people—AFSC is building the conditions for lasting peace and economic development.
Promoting community livelihood recovery, social cohesion, and trauma healing
Together with local partners, AFSC supports projects to improve the livelihoods of communities, strengthen social cohesion, and restore people’s dignity through trauma healing. With ongoing AFSC support, community associations create and manage their own income-generating activities so participants can achieve economic autonomy. AFSC also helps the associations build relationships with microfinance institutions so they can strengthen their income-generating activities.
Promoting youth development through skills training and livelihood support
AFSC works to improve the lives of youth from diverse backgrounds by helping them become integral members of their local community associations. As they become active, responsible members of these associations, young people improve their lives through income-generating activities, social cohesion initiatives, and trauma healing from the emotional and psychological wounds of the past. As AFSC’s experience has shown, life-skills training opportunities also allow young people to become self-employed and even employers for other youth in their communities.
Enhancing the participation and engagement of civil society organizations and government institutions in national policies around the electoral process and national reconciliation to prevent conflict
AFSC actively supports the electoral and national reconciliation processes in Burundi and will continue to help minimize elections-related violence and other drivers of conflict in the country. The principle vehicle for this support is AFSC’s Dialogue and Exchange Program, which provides opportunities for experts from different African countries to come together and share their experiences, best practices, and ideas for addressing the root causes of violence in their respective countries. AFSC involves government institutions, civil society organizations, and religious groups in this work, with a view toward engaging people at the grassroots level as well.