[Anglican Alliance] The Anglican Church of Burundi is assisting local communities affected by devastating landslides in late March and early April.

Torrential rains last month caused landslides south of Bujumbura, the capital city, that have brought destruction and suffering to people living close to Lake Tanganyika. Roads and bridges were swept away, and schools, health centres, solar power installations and churches were destroyed or damaged by boulders or mudslides.  

As well as damaging the social infrastructure, the landslides destroyed homes and swept away household equipment. In the fields, trees and crops, such as beans, cassava, sweet potatoes and nuts, were destroyed and small domestic animals were killed.

In response, staff from the Anglican provincial office in Bujumbura has been working with local teams in the Dioceses of Rumonge and Bujumbura to support two communities.

They plan to rebuild 150 homes and 150 latrines, rehabilitate four community water points and provide school materials for 300 children to allow them to continue their education, as well as blankets for the 150 households with new homes.

Léonidas Niyongabo, provincial development and relief officer, asked the Anglican Communion to support and pray for the communities whose lives have been shattered by these landslides and for “all victims of climate change around the world and all who suffer from poverty".

Niyongabo urged advocacy efforts so that “[policy makers] act positively for the total eradication of the causes of climate change to give life on Earth as God gave it to us". The victims of natural disasters and poor governance around the world were in need of assistance, he said.

 Visit the Anglican Alliance website to find out how to support the Anglican Church of Burundi in its response to the landslide disaster.

Share prayers for Burundi on the Prayer Wall of the Anglican Communion website.