Césarie: from a poverty-stricken life to hill-top status

Widowed, she has five children to support.

Prior to FXB’s intervention, she was living in extreme poverty. Her children had difficulty eating due to lack of resources. They had no access to health care and could not go to school. She lived from farming, an activity that alone is not enough to support a whole family. Césarie was overwhelmed by events but accepted her fate, citing her status as the reason: for her, all widows lived in these conditions, it was normal.

In 2013, Césarie’s family was selected to be part of the FXB Village of Buterere I. They received comprehensive support in all areas of their lives: nutrition, health, education, housing and economic activity. From then on, Césarie’s way of life changed. She became dynamic, full of enthusiasm and resources. Her children, who now ate healthy diets, varied and sufficient meals, returned to school and began to play with others again.

Thanks to the teachings and training she received with FXB Burundi, Césarie quickly understood that she was called to be an actor of development like so many other women. She started growing rice, which she also sells to a cooperative that processes it using a machine provided by FXB. At the same time, she raises goats, which brings in around 300,000 Burundian francs per trimester.

Thanks to this income, she has already rehabilitated her old house and contributes easily to 25% of her children’s medical care and school fees. She is building up solid savings to build a new house, the plot of which she has already bought.

The development has come to Césarie. Previously, she was isolated but now she is a leader in the community and has been elected head of the hill! Césarie is very grateful to FXB and its donors for their support. She is no longer afraid of her future, which she already sees as promising!