Annual Report 2024

The year 2023 remained concerning from a socio-economic perspective.
According to the National Institute of Statistics of Burundi (INSBU), the average annual inflation rate in 2023 reached +27.1%, compared to 18.9% in 2022.

This increase of +27.1% is largely driven by rising food prices, which recorded an increase of 37.2%, compared to 24.5% in 2022.

Annual Report 2023

The year 2023 remained concerning from a socio-economic perspective.
According to the National Institute of Statistics of Burundi (INSBU), the average annual inflation rate in 2023 reached +27.1%, compared to 18.9% in 2022.

This increase of +27.1% is largely driven by rising food prices, which recorded an increase of 37.2%, compared to 24.5% in 2022.

Annual Report 2022

The year 2022 was characterised by a constrained economic climate. In addition, there was accelerating domestic inflation and a scarcity of foreign currency, leading to a deterioration in the terms of trade. In its report on the household consumption price index (CPI) for December, the National Institute of Statistics in Burundi (INSBU) estimates average annual inflation at +18.9%, compared to 8.3% for 2021. This level of inflation is largely due to food prices, which have increased by an average of 24.5%, with an exceptional rise of 44.5% for rice.

Annual Report 2021

Besides insecurity caused by armed groups, Burundi has been severely affected by rains and floods that have caused displacement and damage to people and property. These events are mainly caused by the rising water of Lake Tanganyika and the overflow of adjacent rivers. SOS Children's Villages in Burundi has not been able to assist people affected by natural disasters due to a lack of emergency budget.

The number of COVID-19 positive cases has increased, bringing the overall positivity rate to 2.72% in December 2021, compared to 1% in 2020 in the same month. The 3rd wave of infection, particularly from variants in Africa, remained a major concern. Moreover, according to figures from the Burundi Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (ISTEEBU), an already precarious economic and social situation was characterized by very high annual inflation. It will be 8.3% at the end of 2021 compared to 7.5% at the end of 2020. This will be reflected in higher prices for necessities, low growth rates and widespread poverty.

Annual Report 2020

SOS Children’s Villages Burundi provided alternative care to 1,520 children and young people, including 584 in SFC, 294 in FFC, and 642 in YC.
It also supported 5,915 children living in 1,716 highly vulnerable families.

Educational and healthcare facilities operated by SOS Children’s Villages delivered quality services to children and young people in our target group, as well as to the surrounding community. In total, 3,341 students attended SOS HG schools, and more than 150,000 medical visits were recorded in SOS medical centers.

To further improve the quality of care for children and young people in our target group, SOS Children’s Villages Burundi assessed the level of implementation of the SOS Care Promise commitments.

Annual Report 2019

During 2019, the political situation in Burundi remained marked by suspension of inter-Burundi dialogue and preparations for general elections 2020. On economic level, and although we do not have official figures yet, African Development Bank experts were expecting economic growth of 1%. For a population that grows on average more than 3% per year, this growth is insufficient. Prices of the main necessities have significantly increased. For example, according to SOS household notebooks, the price of rice has increased by more than 12%, that of beans by more than 16% and that of maize by more than 33%.   

Annual Report 2018

Burundi is still suffering the effects of the political crisis that began in 2015. The suspension of financial aid from traditional donors has finally plunged the country into extreme poverty. Thus, more than 70% of Burundians live below the poverty line (less than a dollar a day) according to data from the World Bank and the study conducted by World Vision in 2018. The persistence of a fragile political and economic setting prevents economy from coming back to its pre-crisis level. Latest estimates are based on economic growth of 1.9% in 2018. Pressures on foreign exchange market have persisted with negative repercussions on imports and a more pronounced decrease in foreign exchange reserves. However, the Central Bank’s involvement in currency market has stabilized Burundian currency. Indeed, the average rate of a euro in 2017 was BIF 2,094 while it was BIF 2,084 on all of our foreign exchange transactions in 2018.

Annual Report 2017

The year that has just ended has been characterized by a poor socio-economic situation despite the generally- improved security situation in Burundi compared to 2016. The shortage of hard currencies, already evident in 2016, went on worsening, affecting the country's ability to import basic necessities such as fuel and medicines. Thus, the exchange rate of a Euro which was BIF 1,761.9229 on 2 January 2017 rose to BIF 2,094,05 on 29 December 2017; that is an increase of 19% (Ref: BRB: Bank of the Republic of Burundi). Meanwhile, according to data available from the same bank at the end of November 2017, inflation was 16.7% against 5.55% in 2016. Actually, it was stronger than the one given. Food products experienced a price increase of 24.7% over the year.

Annual Report 2016

At the political level, 2016 was marked by attempts at dialogue between the Government and the opposition, which have come up against radicalization of parties in conflict. The country is more and more isolated on the international level. On 11 October, the Government suspended its cooperation with the High Commissioner for Human Rights Office in Burundi in protest against the report of the UN Experts' independent survey on Burundi on human rights violations and abuses committed from 15 April 2015 to 30 June 2016. In the same realm, the National Assembly passed a law on the country's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), on 12 October 2016.

Annual Report 2015

Since April 2015, Burundi has been enduring a serious crisis resulted from the disputed candidacy of President Pierre Nkurunziza’s third term. Extrajudicial executions, torture, targeted kidnappings and rapes of women have become daily realities, especially in the areas of Bujumbura City that have taken the lead in protests against the third term of President Nkurunziza. This situation has forced 230,000 Burundians to exile mainly into Rwanda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.