Young people from Obwalden change lives in Burundi: An aid project with heart!

Young people from Obwalden change lives in Burundi: An aid project with heart!

Joline Zumbühl (15) from Hergiswil and Tim Metzger (20) from Möhlin AG spent two weeks in Burundi last summer, supported by the Obwalden aid project franciskus-burundi.ch. The young people traveled independently in different groups and gained impressive experiences that they wanted to use for their school projects. Joline dedicated her project work to the topic of “Helping together, changing lives” and was actively involved on site.

During her stay, Joline distributed relief supplies to the local population, including clothes, food and shoes. Her experiences in Burundi were formative; she realized that it is possible to be happy even with very little. She also supported a goat project and was able to buy and donate four goats worth 600 francs.

Valuable insights

Tim Metzger chose the topic “Burundi up close” for his Matura thesis at the high school in Muttenz. Through his aunt, Ruth Staub, the co-president and managing director of the association franciskus-burundi.ch he had direct access to information about living conditions in Burundi. Tim wanted to experience the challenges on site first hand and found that the people's joy of life, hope and hospitality touched him deeply. He received a grade of 5.0 for his Matura thesis.

Ruth Staub spoke positively about the commitment of the two young people. She praised their openness to cultural exchange and the efforts they made to help the people of Burundi.

The challenges in Burundi

Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world and is facing current challenges that particularly affect children. Food insecure conditions and widespread malnutrition represent pressing problems. According to World Vision Many children suffer from stunted growth, particularly those under the age of 5, while droughts and floods put a strain on agriculture and lead to crop failures.

Burundi's population continues to grow rapidly, including by accepting refugees, putting further strain on already strained resources. Many rural areas lack access to quality education, leading to high school dropout rates. The financial burden on parents, such as school uniforms and books, represents an additional hurdle. In addition, medical care is described as inadequate in many areas, which leads to high child mortality.

Joline and Tim's stay in Burundi not only changed their perspective on the reality of life in one of the poorest countries in the world, but also built a bridge between cultures, which was an enriching experience for both of them.