Rango : Batwa pupils between school and daily survival

SOS Médias Burundi

Rango, June 15, 2025 – In Rango dstrict, in Kayanza province in northern Burundi, children from the Batwa community are struggling to continue their education. Trapped in the cycle of poverty, they juggle school and small businesses to survive. This alarming reality jeopardizes their educational future, warns local authorities.

Some of these children, often from families living in extreme poverty, sell straw or engage in other makeshift activities to buy notebooks, pens, or simply contribute to the household’s meals. This is a well-known reality in this landlocked district in the north of the country, where Batwa education remains a major challenge.

Ernest Bacimanza, district director of education in Rango district, is sounding the alarm :

“These children urgently need support to stay in school. Without support, they risk dropping out altogether.”

According to him, these pupils often arrive at school exhausted, sometimes absent for several days at a time, which compromises their learning and increases the dropout rate. Lacking resources, some families have no choice but to involve their children in daily survival.

Faced with this worrying situation, the district director is calling for the commitment of associations, NGOs, and individuals of goodwill : “We need targeted assistance, whether in school supplies, meals, or tuition fees.”

In a country where the Batwa community continues to suffer the consequences of decades of marginalization, access to education remains an essential lever for emancipation. For these young people, every day spent at school is a step toward a more dignified future. But they still need to be able to go there with a full stomach and a free mind.