Musenyi : tents to ease the overcrowding of more than 80 refugee families

SOS Médias Burundi

Musenyi, July 17, 2025 – After more than four months spent in precarious conditions in the hangars of the Musenyi refugee site, located in the Rutana region, Burunga province (southern Burundi), a wind of hope is finally blowing for more than 80 families. On Tuesday, July 15, they received individual tents installed by COPED, the organization in charge of the site’s infrastructure.

Although many families have not yet received tents, site managers have prioritized the most vulnerable families in the face of the emergency. Each beneficiary family now has their own tent, away from the crowded conditions and constant noise of the collective hangars. However, non-beneficiary families hope to be included in the coming days, as other tents are still being built at the Musenyi 2 site.

Anastasia, 23 years old, whose family received a tent, says :
“There were eight of us in a corner of the hangar. It was hot, and the children often got sick. We didn’t feel free to do what we needed to do because of the overcrowding. Imagine sleeping with children over 15; it was very difficult. But today, even though it’s just a tent, I feel free. I can sleep peacefully. It’s a real relief.”

While these beneficiaries welcome this change, the situation remains worrying for others, who are still forced to live in the hangars with their families.

Initially intended to accommodate 10,000 people, the Musenyi site now hosts more than 18,000 Congolese refugees who have fled the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This overpopulation has led to very difficult living conditions, exacerbated by the lack of adequate infrastructure, sufficient healthcare, and limited food aid.