Burundi is a tiny landlocked country right in the heart of Africa, surrounded by Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to Global Finance Magazine in 2024, it is the second poorest country in the world, with huge levels of food insecurity and less than 5% of the population with access to electricity. Thousands of children end up sleeping on the streets of Bujumbura, the capital, and every day, kids like Robin* run the risk of adding to the numbers.
When Robin was 10 years old, he showed up at the door of one of Comfort International’s partners in Burundi, begging for food. He was living with his mother and siblings, with no knowledge of who or where his father was. He had never been to school and suffered regularly from episodes of bad health. Robin’s daily life consisted of hanging out on the streets, begging for food and occasionally playing football with the other boys, then heading home at night. He had no education, and no hope.
By 2019, Robin had been on the Comfort International Street Kids Rescue Project in Kamenge for one year. He wrote to his sponsor, Luis, about how his life had changed completely since coming onto the project. “This year has been good to me! I got the chance of going to school and I achieved a great position – I was the 3rd in my class. I also sleep in good bedsheets, I get food to eat and when I fall sick I am treated by the project […] I want to work harder at school and score good marks and be the 1st in my class.”
Robin went from strength to strength, still playing football with his friends but now working hard at school, and in great health. In 2020, he wrote once more, “I am so humbled to write to you this letter; you are very special person in my life. I hope you are doing great though we are in tough times with the pandemic. Back here I am well and my siblings are also well. We are still going to school and I am really enjoying it. When I am in school, I pay so much attention to the teacher and then after school I continue to do revision of the lessons we studied at school. In my free time I like to play football with my friends. I am happy that the project is always providing food for us and it also gave us mosquito nets. Thank you so much for all that you do for me to make my life better, I am forever grateful for you.”
Robin’s childhood went from a daily struggle with hunger to one where he could enjoy education, health and fun. Now 15 years old, his life is far from easy but is a completely different story to his situation begging on the streets. His entire family has been transformed. His latest letter to his sponsor reads like this:
“I would say that my life in 2024 has not been bad because I have not fallen sick ever since the start of the year up to this very moment. The best part of this year to me so far is being able to get food and not lacking anything to eat, because there were moments that I used to miss lunch or just have a single meal a day and sometimes I would go the whole day with no food, but this year there was no single day that I missed a meal […] I am now in primary 5 and I am working so hard so that I can be get good grades to be permitted to the next class level. When I get home after school, I change out of my school uniform then help my mum to wash the dishes. At home I live with my mum and my siblings, 3 boys and 3 girls. We are a big family. My mum takes good care of us with the support of the project by providing the basic needs.”
This Christmas, Robin is looking forward to one of the big events of the year, the project Christmas party. Every year, the Comfort Burundi team, along with all of our other project partners, work hard to put on a party that will stay in the kids’ memories all year through. A visit from Father Christmas means a special meal, gifts, games and dancing. Although these things may seem superficial, these moments are so important to affirm to the children that they are loved, special, worthy and important. If you’d like to donate to this year’s Christmas parties, you can make a donation here.
Like so many children in our partner countries, Robin’s life has been completely changed by the power of sponsorship, and by the hard work and compassion of our amazing partners. Although Robin’s story is not unique, his life is, and stories like his are why Comfort International keeps working and asking for incredible sponsors to step forward and change a life. If you or anyone you know is interested in sponsoring a child like Robin, please get in touch today.
*name changed to protect identity