Burundi remains one of the countries with the highest child stunting rates in the world, 54% (JANSFA 2019). Boys are more affected than girls (59.4% and 52.4% respectively), and rural children are more at risk of stunting than urban children, at 58.8% and 27.8% respectively. Similarly, severe acute malnutrition is more prevalent in rural than in urban areas: 0.3% in urban areas and 1% in rural areas.

With this in mind, Safe Inclusion, in collaboration with other partners in the Nutrition sector, intervenes in localities where malnutrition rates are very high, using an inclusive approach that empowers women and men to combat malnutrition and the vulnerability of the most affected households using a community-based nutritional approach.

Food security in Burundi is compromised by poverty, population growth, land and environmental degradation, and gender inequality in access to resources.
One of the approaches proposed by Safe Inclusion is the “Kitchen Garden”, which contributes rapidly to the nutritional response, but also to the valorization of small spaces.

“As a response to the exclusion of vulnerable people in the community such as women, Safe Inclusion uses the approach of financial savings and credit groups, enabling members to make contributions and obtain credit when needed. This approach also enables vulnerable communities, especially women, to become financially autonomous, to develop and to contribute to household expenses..”