Nduta (Tanzania) : a clothing distribution welcomed by Burundian refugees

SOS Médias Burundi

Nduta, October 18, 2025 – For the past week, all Burundian refugees in the Nduta camp have been receiving clothing distributions. This initiative has been warmly welcomed, particularly by children who had been forced to drop out of school due to a lack of clean clothes.

From newborns to the elderly, including young girls and boys, each refugee must receive at least two sets of clothing. This donation, distributed by humanitarian NGOs present on the site, was reportedly collected in Australia.

“We’re delighted with them anyway. Even though they’re second-hand, they’re completely new to us. I managed to get a complete suit and another outfit. I could at least go to church or attend festivities, being chic,” says a Burundian refugee, who admits he has refrained from going to mass due to a lack of clean clothes.

The joy is also visible on the faces of the mothers :

“I gave birth a few months ago, but I’m telling you the truth, I didn’t have any clothes for my child,” says one of them.

A community leader explains that he knows five children from three families in his village who had dropped out of school for the same reason : a lack of clothing. The refugees are also calling for the redistribution of hygiene kits, including laundry soap.

Such an initiative has not been seen since 2018.

Nduta camp, located in the Kigoma region of northwest Tanzania, is home to more than 58,000 Burundian refugees, many of whom live in difficult conditions and rely heavily on humanitarian aid for their basic needs.