Child Sponsorship background from Gitega, Burundi

SOS Children's Village Gitega

SOS Children's Village Gitega is about four kilometres away from the centre of town. It consists of 13 family houses and has a capacity of up to 130 children, a tailor's workshop, a laundry and a large multi-purpose hall. It also has a village director's house and a house for the SOS aunts (SOS mothers in training, who actively support the SOS mothers).

Other SOS Projects in Gitega

The SOS Children's Village also has a Youth Home, which has a total of three houses (two for boys and one for girls) that each have seven communal rooms. The facility can take in up to 54 young people and supports them in becoming independent. They have a communal kitchen, lounges and dining rooms.

An SOS Vocational School and a carpenter's workshop were also opened for educational purposes.

The SOS Nursery, which is also open to children from neighbouring areas, was opened at the same time as the SOS Children's Village. It consists of three rooms as well as annexed houses and can take in about 75 children. In 1996, a primary school was also opened, in which a total of 216 children from the Children's Village and the neighbouring areas are taught in six classrooms.

Background to Gitega

Gitega is the capital of Gitega Province, one of the 17 provinces of Burundi. It is the home of the Burundi National Museum and the Archdiocese of Gitega, and was the residence of the king until 1972 (when the first ethnic conflicts broke out).

It is the third largest town of the country, with a population of 10,000.