Chancelle Bamuhaye, a young lady activist from Burundi, A talk with Mfuranzima Fred

How old are you?

I am 25 years old.

Your background history?

I was born and raised in a family of six in a province known as Kayanza, located in Burundi’s northern region. Among the six children, I am the youngest. As a child growing up, I was blessed to have had gained access to everything a child needs.

What’s your first achievement that has inspired you?

At the age of sixteen, I received a great opportunity where I was lucky enough to be selected among 25 children by the Burundi Child Journalist program. One can firmly conclude that this is where my journey of working with children was born.

How did you become involved in this type of work?

During my time with the Children Journalist program of UNICEF Burundi, I had the chance to be close to vulnerable children, a chance to know and understand their problems, and a chance to know their needs. Thus, it led to me always asking myself what I can contribute to ensuring positive change in their lives?

Tell us more about your current activities?

Currently, I do work and cover two domains that have helped me answer that question: Academics plus Health.

I support the education of vulnerable children from the Twa community. Also, I help children suffering from rare diseases and whose parents do not have the financial means of gaining access to domestic hospitals or countries abroad.

What cause the problem in your community?

These are issues that exist because of high poverty rates among these families that I assist here in Burundi. Whether it is education or health, they all require financial means that these families with deficient socioeconomic status lack.

How your activities are helping to solve the problem?

The various activities that I engage in provide hope to these children who do not have it. For example, today, I serve more than 200 children who are currently attending school and do not have to worry about school supplies.

In addition, children who have been cured of fatal diseases and are now living life to the fullest, smiling and playing as any other child should. With the program that I am running, to the best of my ability, step by step, and little by little, I help these children.

How’s your activities now going?

The small steps that I began with have become more significant.

How long have you been involved in this work?

I worked with UNICEF Burundi from 2012- 2015, but that changed during 2017 because I became independent and began constructing and engaging with the activities independently.