Our Voice matters, your help contributes

Hello, my name is Marlyne Nitunga. I am fundraising on behalf of “Nawe Niwige,” a non-profit organization founded by four indigenous Batwa students in Burundi who are striving to promote education and bring positive change to their marginalized community.

The Batwa is an indigenous social group, a very small minority, and spread throughout the country. They are estimated at 1% of the 12 million of the total population of Burundi, marginalized and discriminated against by the rest of the Burundian society. While these four young indigenous Batwa students managed to attend universities, these children do not have access to quality education, and 82% of the Batwa have never attended school, according to the most recent statistics and the message from Nengo Emmanuel, the current Batwa representative from UNIPROBA.

In response to this urgent need, the founders of Nawe Niwige started their organization with the goal of providing educational support to their young brothers and sisters. Nawe Niwige means “Learn too, or You can Study too” in the Kirundi language spoken in Burundi. They use 20% of their own stipends to fund this effort. They have already begun helping 20 boys and girls with their educational materials and fees from the primary to secondary level of education.

However, these four university students will soon complete their tertiary education, and their stipends will cease. That's why they need our help to sustain and expand their efforts. Their dream is to support Batwa children for all twelve years of secondary education and reduce the community's illiteracy rate by 30% by 2035.

By donating to Nawe Niwige, you can help make a difference in the lives of indigenous children in Burundi. Your contribution will go towards paying for school fees, uniforms, books, and other necessary supplies that will enable these children to receive a basic education and become future leaders in their community.

In addition to making a donation, you can also help by sharing our mission and vision with your friends and family and encouraging them to support too. Together, we can improve the lives of these children and enable them to realize their full potential. Thank you for considering this vital cause, and we appreciate your support.