Current Be A HERO Project: Construction of a children’s home for 48 orphans, in partnership with Children Rescued in Burundi (C.R.I.B.)
Overview of C.R.I.B.
Children Rescued in Burundi (C.R.I.B.) was started to help orphaned children at the onset of the war in Burundi in October 1993. C.R.I.B. is the name of this child rescue and care project in Bujumbura, registered in Burundi through African Revival Ministries International, a charity with bases in the U.K., USA, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, and Burundi.
Experience has shown that traumatized orphan children do not do well in large institutional settings and so the aim is to create “family” through the way the care and basic needs of these children are managed.
History:
Burundi is a central African nation with a population of approx. five million people. It is situated in the centre of the Great Lakes region right next to Lake Tanganyika. Its bordering countries are Rwanda and Congo on the north and west, and Tanzania to the east and south. It is estimated that in the first week of the outbreak of war approximately 150,000 people were massacred. It seems the world never got to hear about this until war broke out in our neighbour's country of Rwanda in April 1994 and it is estimated that over 1 million people were killed in that genocide.
Burundi is a country still at war. The fighting has continued over the last 10 years with many more people being killed and others running for their lives with the result that the land is filled with many homeless, parentless, displaced people.
Approximately one fifth of the country is made up of orphan children and of that number it is estimated that about 600,000 are AIDs orphans, the remainder are war orphans. There are many refugee camps that have been set up to give some shelter to this vast displaced people group. C.R.I.B. has gone into these camps, taking humanitarian aid and identifying those children who were suffering, the youngest and most traumatized (those unable to stand in a feeding line or hold a porridge cup had previously been left to die on the vast rubbish heaps) and rescued them.
The first C.R.I.B. house was set up and established by C.R.I.B’s founder and director, Christine Chapman. It is a fact that young babies and children who are badly traumatized by the war do not so well in the camps and many die. Their aim has been to reach out and help this demographic group and up to very recently, they were the only organization who were rescuing and taking in babies (the high price of baby milk powder in Burundi being one of the main reasons)
Approximately one fifth of the Burundian population is children. Out of that number over 600,000 are HIV positive, and the remainder are orphans as a result of war.
The C.R.I.B Charity
Christine Chapman
Christine is a qualified nurse and midwife from Great Britain where she practiced and in 1990 came to Burundi. She was sent out by Cheam Community Church as a missionary to establish a maternity clinic and dispensary in a rural mountain area of Burundi. After a productive three years, war broke out and the work in the hill country was brought to an abrupt stop and Christine was evacuated to the city centre of Bujumbura. It was here that she rented her first small home and began working amongst the displaced peoples in the refugee camps. These camps varied in size from two thousand to twenty thousand people. The need and plight was immense.
As war continued in Burundi and neighbouring countries, people would flee for their lives taking up living babies from the dead and would find their way to the camps. Unfortunately young children, unable to stand in a feeding line or hold a porridge bowl were frequently left on the rubbish heap to fend for themselves. It was during this time that Christine would make choices as to how best she could use her skill and limited resources. She felt that her ministry could be most effective amongst small babies. Hence the birth of the first C.R.I.B. house in 1993.
The work continued to grow, and became effective in the following areas: Small babies, badly traumatized children under 6 years old, older children with younger siblings, and children with physical injuries.
In June 1994, Christine moved to a bigger rented house. The work developed and now she had 17 babies under the age of one year old! Between 1994 and 1996 Christine rented another two houses. Also at this time World Emergency Relief bought the large house
Chrissie was renting and they were able to build an all-purpose baby unit in the grounds of her house with funds from an anonymous donor. The work continued to grow, and she now has five houses and 50 children in her care. All the houses are situated within two minutes walking distance from each other in an area called Kinindo, 2 miles outside the city centre.
The country still has internal fighting breaking out every so often which affects their lives and the safety of the children and so they feel there is a need to create their own safe village environment.
The Situation to Date:
· C.R.I.B. owns the land - nearly two acres in size. A.R.M has already built the security wall around the site’s perimeter, as well as a toilet and shower block.
· 48 orphaned children in care.
· over 25 staff not including guards and cooks
· 5 houses (2 are owned, 3 are rented)
· primary school which A.R.M. owns and runs
· secondary school which A.R.M runs but the premises are rented
9 seat mini bus
15 seat mini bus
1 Hylux truck
Current Be A HERO Project:
In the interests of economy, it was decided to build a large family-style building to accommodate children, house parents, and workers. It will have 4 bedrooms and a sitting room on the top floor, and 3 bedrooms on the ground floor. A large covered balcony will be used for a dining area and communal activities. This plan leaves space to build another house on the property for one of the African caregiver couples. The new building will replace the 3 rented houses. The existing house on the property will be refurbished for the other African caregiver couple. C.R.I.B./A.R.M. already own the land, and has built the perimeter wall and toilet block.
Construction of this new building will reduce the annual running cost by two-thirds as there would no longer be a need to duplicate guards, cooks for each house, or cleaning workers. It is vital that African “parents” live with the children. Creating a seven bed-roomed property will enable them to put four to six children in each bedroom.
Progress at the New Project Site:
| Build new toilet block and fully fitted showers: |
$10,000.00 USD |
| Build security perimeter wall and clear ground site: |
$15,000.00 USD |
Money has been received for this work through gifts and donations made to C.R.I.B.
Total Budget for Project: $180,635.00 USD
Plans, soil studies and taxes: $70,633.00
Construction of new building, including all the painting and decorating: $125,635.00
New kitchen and laundry rooms with plumbing: $12,000.00
Main drive tarmac, carport and landscaping: $13,000.00
Refurbishing old house, fittings and furniture for old and new building: $30,000.00
Funds to date:
Through donations from HFTN , BAH, and the UK $60,567.00
$9,000.00 due to arrive from Todd Bentley for construction
$9,000.00 due to arrive through HFTN from private donors for furnishings
Total received or pledged: $78,567.00
Total still to raise: $102,068.00
Rationale:
1. This project will decrease the overall running costs by two thirds (not having to pay rent, less duplication of staff)
2. It will provide better supervision and parenting for the orphans by creating their own micro village.
3. It will be a better, more family-like environment .
4. Property ownership gives more stability rather than in renting properties.
5. Home ownership allows the houses to be decorated in a more sympathetic way.
Sustainability:
Over the last ten years C.R.I.B./A.R.M. has had funding and gifts coming in the following three ways:
1. Partners
2. Child sponsorship
3. Churches and benefactors
This situation continues to be the same and stable. As this new project will reduce our current yearly budget we do not foresee future funding problems.
100% of all funds donated for this project will be applied directly to the project. Be A HERO does not keep anything for administration. Be A HERO is able to do this because the Hero Partnership and Pillar Program participants designate their donations specifically for administration. If you would like to invest in this project, we accept donations by cheque or by credit card. Click here to donate.
If you wish to sponsor one of these children click here.
You will be sent a receipt for income tax purposes early in the following year.
To view photos of C.R.I.B. children and site click here.
