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Vulnerable people are often plunged into untold poverty. If that situation is aggravated by an illness that they are forced to live with for the rest of their lives, without any financial, medical or psychological support, they may lose their taste for life, which can even lead to the worst.

Service Yezu Mwiza (SYM), an association of Jesuit fathers working in Burundi since 2008 in the promotion of health in general; especially with the main mission of being at the service of vulnerable people living with HIV and OVCs, has put in place a mobile clinic strategy consisting of bringing its package of services as close as possible to the different localities of the community where the majority of its beneficiaries live; in order to alleviate the burden of transportation costs spent in going to SYM in order to stock up on ARV medicines.

" We found that most of our beneficiaries were living in precarious conditions. They could hardly find anything to eat, so imagine the ordeal of walking more than 15 kilometers or more in search of medicines. In order to allow all our beneficiaries to have easy and quick access to ARV treatment so that there are no more delays in taking medication; Service Yezu Mwiza wanted, not that the beneficiaries come to us in search of our services but rather that it is up to SYM to go to them with the whole package of its services so that distance is no longer the reason for not taking his medicines on time; hence the beginning of this mobile clinic strategy, ”, says A. Christy ININAHAZWE, S.J coordinator of projects and programmes at SYM .

" After seeing their misery, we also approached benefactors to try to help these vulnerable beneficiaries, by which we mean people who did not have a roof over their heads to spend the night, and widows who could not feed their children. .
So, we submitted this great project to different benefactors and by the grace of God they responded to this cry of alarm by agreeing to support this noble cause. There I could mention SELAVIP which has brought smiles to the faces of 25 families by building them decent homes. I cannot fail to mention the Jesuits of Nuremberg who, thanks to their support since 2018 have enabled 477 vulnerable beneficiaries to undertake profitable Income Generating Activities so that they can have at least two meals a day. I also take this opportunity to thank everyone who morally or physically participated, from near or far, and who continues to contribute to improve the living conditions of our vulnerable beneficiaries, ”, added Father Védaste NKESHIMANA, S.J Executive Director of SYM. .

Beneficiaries give their testimonies

" My name is Therese, I am 68 years old. Before, I lived in a slum with my grandchildren. During the rainy season, we couldn't sleep because the roof was so full of holes that it let all the water through as if we were outside. We were especially afraid that one day the walls would collapse on us during the night. I didn't know what to do, but fortunately, as they say, "God's ways are inscrutable". SYM, during its home visits, noticed the living conditions in which I found myself. One day they gave me good news, telling me that they were going to help me build a decent house. I asked my neighbors if they could give me a hand in making bricks. They were so happy for me that many of them came to do it. Today, I am happy that God heard my cry through Service Yezu Mwiza and SELAVIP by offering me a decent roof. I implore Him every day to bless SYM, to continue His work and to extend it to others who are still in distress ”, testifies one of the beneficiaries of the SELAVIP project.

SELAVIP is a non-profit organization founded by Father Jossé Van der Rest, S.J with the objective of helping the poorest families of the poor. That is, people living in very precarious and dangerous conditions. It helps them secure basic housing so that they can embrace their future with dignity from a stable home.

This grandmother regained her dignity thanks to SYM and SELAVIP, but many more are grateful because today the light still shines in their homes thanks to the charitable works of the Jesuit fathers: