Building preparedness capacity 

Emergency Preparedness and Response refer to the capacity to anticipate, prepare for, and respond effectively to emergencies such as natural disasters, conflicts, and disease outbreaks. 

In Burundi, SOS Children’s Villages actively strengthens its ability to respond to emergencies, particularly natural disasters such as torrential rains and floods, which are among the most frequent risks affecting communities. 

Since 2018, an Emergency Focal Point has been appointed to coordinate preparedness and response efforts. In addition, SOS Children’s Villages has secured a dedicated emergency fund to support rapid and effective response actions in situations of crisis. 

In 2024, 26 staff members from SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi participated in a regional workshop organized by the ESAF International Office Region. The training focused on strengthening preparedness systems and improving response capacity. 

Key areas of learning included: 

• Preparedness: Developing contingency plans, building staff capacity through training, and establishing systems before emergencies occur 

• Response: Taking swift, coordinated action during or immediately after an emergency to save lives, reduce suffering, and provide essential support such as shelter, food, healthcare, and psychosocial services 

At the end of the workshop, participants were able to: 

• Understand and apply core humanitarian principles, standards, and protocols 

• Apply Sphere standards and other minimum humanitarian requirements 

• Explain and apply the humanitarian competency framework and programme cycle 

• Use the SOS Companion for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action and the related Action Handbook 

• Learn from the experience of SOS Somalia and Burundi’s National Disaster Management Department on disaster preparedness (DPrep) 

Strengthening community resilience 

Emergency preparedness is integrated into community-based programmes, particularly Family Strengthening. Awareness-raising activities are conducted to help families anticipate and respond to crisis situations. 

In 2024, the programme planned to sensitise 1,240 families across five locations: 

• 187 in Bujumbura 

• 162 in Rutana 

• 376 in Gitega 

• 204 in Muyinga 

• 318 in Cibitoke 

These activities aim to improve household-level preparedness and strengthen community response mechanisms. 

At the same time, community-based projects provide support to families affected by natural disasters, especially in cases of house destruction caused by floods and heavy rains. 

Looking ahead: 2026 priorities 

In 2026, SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi plans to revitalise and further strengthen the capacities of programme teams, including social workers, teachers, and medical staff, on emergency prevention and response mechanisms. 

By combining preparedness, rapid response, and community resilience-building, SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi works to ensure that children and families are protected before, during, and after emergencies.