At SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi, we believe that every child and young person should grow up with the bonds they need to become their strongest selves. Yet many children and young people without parental care or at risk of losing it experience neglect, abuse, or separation from their families, often linked to poverty and limited access to essential services such as food, education, healthcare, and safe housing. 

To respond to these challenges and expand care options, SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi introduced volunteer foster family care in 2014. This programme provides children and young people with a stable, protective family environment within their own communities. 

Since its launch, foster family care has supported 616 children and young people placed in 456 volunteer families across our programmes in Bujumbura, Cibitoke, Gitega, Muyinga, and Rutana. 

Supporting children within their communities 

Foster family care plays a key role in strengthening community-based care and reducing reliance on institutional settings. By growing up in a family environment within their community of origin, children and young people are able to: 

• Maintain and rebuild family and community connections 

• Experience daily life within a caring and supportive household 

• Develop the confidence, skills, and relationships needed for their future 

Families and community members are actively involved in protecting children’s rights, supporting their reintegration where possible, and helping safeguard family assets and inheritance. 

Through this approach, SOS Children’s Villages in Burundi works together with communities to ensure that children and young people grow up in safe, nurturing family environments where they can thrive.