Burundi : Batwa minority girls increasingly attend the university education

Batwa girls are delighted that they are admitted to public and private universities in Burundi. They indicate that the ministry in charge of solidarity, headed by their colleague, is taking care of them. They call on young Batwa, especially girls, to have courage and follow in their footsteps.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Today, girls from Batwa minority families who attend universities say that their situation has improved a little.

They say they are happy with the step already taken. National institutions are trying to put an end to the discrimination suffered by the Batwa. They are notably represented in parliament and government.

“We are not discriminated against on campus and we have no difficulty accessing public services to which we are entitled…”, says Chantal.N, a student at the University of Ngozi in northern Burundi. “We participate like everyone else in all activities – in associations, choirs, Catholic action movements”.

“Our community was almost forgotten but today we have representatives in state institutions.
We have a minister, which we welcome.
Also, we did not see where we could find the means to continue our studies but now the Ministry of Solidarity supports us by rationing us and the University grants us scholarships, we are very grateful and we call on other young people in our community to follow in our footsteps”, adds Néïla Mutoniwimana who will have her bachelor’s degree next year. On campus, she says, “We are 15 Batwa including 8 girls”.

In the political capital Gitega, among 22 Batwa attending the Polytechnic University, 10 are girls. Two of them have just obtained a bachelor’s degree.

Mutoniwimana also affirms that “our comrades do not discriminate against us”.

However, the marriage of members of the Batwa community with other ethnic groups remains “taboo”.

“When a Mutwa girl or boy falls in love with a Hutu or Tutsi boy or vice-versa, on this subject we still have difficulties. We can get along with a companion from the other ethnic group and talk about future plans together but the families end up opposing it”, testifies a disappointed student from the Batwa minority group.

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Women and girls from the Batwa minority group begging in a street in the center of the commercial capital Bujumbura (SOS Médias Burundi)