Kayanza : Gahombo youth face alarming sexual vagrancy

In the district of Gahombo, located in the province of Kayanza (northern Burundi), a worrying phenomenon of sexual vagrancy is taking hold among young people, leading to an increase in unwanted pregnancies among young girls. This situation worries many parents and raises questions about values ​​and education of adolescents. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

A sixty-year-old from Gasave village recounts how his 18-year-old daughter became a source of shame for him. “It’s one of the biggest shocks I’ve had in the last two years,” he confides, visibly saddened. According to his story, his daughter had been in a relationship with a married man from Bujumbura (commercial capital) who was unaware of his marital status. A few months later, she became pregnant. When the girl informed the man of her pregnancy, he initially promised to acknowledge the child, before revealing that he was already married and the father of six children.

“My daughter has lost her mind,” the father adds. Things got worse when, during subsequent meetings with the man to discuss the child’s future, she became pregnant a second time. This situation triggered a violent reaction from her brothers, who threw her out of the house. Her parents, although saddened, had to support her despite everything.

A widespread problem

Another resident of Nzegwe village confirms that unwanted pregnancies are common in the district. She deplores the lack of precautions taken by girls and the erosion of traditional values : “Girls do not protect themselves. There is a deterioration in morals and positive values ​​that pushes them to debauchery without thinking,” she explains.

According to this resident, dropping out of school is a key factor in this phenomenon. Many young girls leave school to consider starting families. Unfortunately, these dreams are often interrupted by premature pregnancies, forcing girls to care for their children alone.

An alarming situation for the future of young people

A teacher in Rukeco denounces what she calls “sexual vagrancy,” which she finds very worrying. “I don’t understand how a girl aged 18 or less can have three children under her parents’ roof,” she says indignantly. She encourages teenage girls to think about their future and that of their children, highlighting challenges of supporting a family alone in a difficult economic context.

Disturbing statistics

A local administration official, who wished to remain anonymous, confirms that the phenomenon is widespread.

“In the majority of households with girls of childbearing age, three out of five have already had children,” he says. This reality worries parents, who struggle to envisage a stable future for their daughters and grandchildren in a context where the cost of living continues to rise, even in rural areas.

“Bringing a child into the world who has to be educated and fed alone is very difficult,” he concludes. The situation in Gahombo highlights a real challenge for families, local leaders and society as a whole, calling for in-depth reflection and concrete solutions to preserve the future of young people.