People and Society of Burundi

Nationality

Burundian(s)

Ethnic Groups

Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Population

9,863,117

Population in Major Urban Areas

BUJUMBURA (capital) 605,000

Medical facilities in Burundi do not meet United States standards. You should carry an ample supply of properly-labeled prescription drugs and other medications with you, as certain medications and prescription drugs are unavailable or in short supply. The sterility of equipment is questionable, and treatment is unreliable. Ambulance assistance is non-existent and emergency services are all but unavailable. Hospital care in Burundi should be considered in only the most serious cases and when no reasonable alternatives are available. Malaria prophylaxis is strongly recommended for travel to all parts of Burundi.

Major Infectious Diseases

Very high

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

Classroom

The classes are generally crowded, with anything from 50 to 150 kids per class and the teachers are generally overwhelmed. The classrooms are most likely made of baked bricks or most of the time they could be simply made of mud walls. The teachers have to do with the few facilities that are available and when it comes to things like textbooks the children have to share them. The only thing you would say you are sure to find in class is a chalkboard at the front of the class. Due to the big number of children, they will cram themselves into the few available desks but the rest will have to sit on the floor or perch on rocks and boulders they bring to class for that purpose. Lunchtime comes as a relief to many school-going children because, in some schools, NGOs have a school feeding program that gives them a guarantee of at least a meal for that day, usually the first one of the day for many. In the schools where such a program does not exist school enrollments are low.

Education Culture

The official languages are French and Kirundi but those who spent some time in the refugee camps were able to pick up Kiswahili. English is known by extremely few. Being a patriarchal society a big part of the workload - especially on the domestic front - is done by women, and children have to automatically come in and assist their mothers. Any free moment children have after school and before darkness sets in is spent collecting firewood, cooking, doing laundry, and taking care of their siblings. It is during this time also that they must run to the nearest river to fetch water as well as take their daily bath in preparation for the evening family meal.

Learning

The lower classes will normally go home after lunch whereas the bigger siblings remain for the afternoon classes which begin at 2:00 p.m. and go on until 3:30 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. The lessons are usually 35 to 40 minutes long. They are motivated by the fact that at the end of it all education is going to make their lives better than what they see in their homes living with their parents, most of who never received an education due to the ravages of the civil war. The children will often rush home after the evening classes to assist with some chores. However, there are those who live on their own, being orphaned who must get home early to fend for themselves and for their younger siblings.

• Christian67.0%
• indigenous beliefs23.0%
• Muslim10.0%

Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

• French
• Kirundi
• Swahili

Crime Information

Crime poses a high risk for foreign visitors to Bujumbura and Burundi in general. Due to insufficient resources, local authorities in any part of Burundi are often unable to provide timely assistance in emergencies. U.S. government personnel are prohibited from walking on the streets after dusk or using local public transportation. Foreigners, whether in vehicles or at home, are always potential crime targets. Common crimes, often committed by groups of armed bandits, include mugging, purse-snatching, pick-pocketing, burglary, automobile break-ins, and carjacking. Don’t leave valuable items unattended in a hotel room. Many criminal incidents involve armed attackers. Criminals in Bujumbura often operate in pairs or in small groups involving six or more individuals. The Department of State advises you to use caution when traveling, paying particular attention when traveling to and from frequent destinations including work, home, and popular shops or restaurants. You should also avoid establishing routines and vary routes between regularly-traveled destinations in order to reduce vulnerability to targeted criminal or terrorist acts. In general, you should pay close attention to your personal security at locations where foreigners are commonly known to congregate and avoid demonstrations and large gatherings. U.S. citizens living and working in Bujumbura should take this opportunity to ensure your security and emergency action plans are up-to-date. Likewise, outside of Bujumbura, vulnerability to criminal attacks on the roads continues to be a serious concern. The U.S. Embassy strongly cautions against traveling outside of towns after nightfall. When traveling upcountry, the best practice is to use convoys of multiple vehicles to prevent becoming a victim of crime in the event of mechanical failure or emergency while traveling. Furthermore, the U.S. Embassy recommends travelers be equipped with satellite telephones, maps, and navigation equipment, medical gear to include trauma supplies, and vehicle maintenance and recovery equipment, especially when traveling off main routes. Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, but if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Burundi, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than those of the United States. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States, and you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is also a crime prosecutable in the United States. Burundian law requires that you carry some form of identification at all times. You can be held for questioning if you do not have an identification document when one is requested by a member of the Burundian Police. It is illegal to take pictures of certain sensitive buildings/installations in Burundi. If you see Burundian Police near an installation, it’s safer to seek permission before taking photographs. Driving under the influence can land you immediately in jail. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Burundi are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. If you break local laws in Burundi, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not wherever you go. While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas. If you are arrested in Burundi, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S. embassy of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the U.S. embassy.