THE KOMEZA WIGE (KEEP STUDYING) PROJECT
In 2022, the Komeza wige (Keep Studying) Project, a multiyear resilience programme funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), set out with a simple but powerful mission: to keep education alive for children living in the most challenging contexts in Burundi. This included children with disabilities, those most at risk of dropping out of school, those displaced or returning home after conflict, and children living in communities hardest hit by war or climate related disasters.
The project took a holistic approach to supporting learning for girls and boys, while also strengthening their protection and well-being and helping out-of-school children re-integrate into education. Key activities included: providing safe, protective and resilient learning spaces for children; supporting teachers to deliver quality learning outcomes alongside mental health and psychosocial support; and building the institutional capacity of schools and education authorities to better prepare for and respond to crises.
The programme focused on Cibitoke and Makamba provinces, areas that are deeply affected by crises, and was implemented by World Vision International Burundi (WVIB) in partnership with UNICEF, RET (Resilience, Empowerment and Transformation) and Right to Play (RtP). From the start, the vision was clear: every child, from ages three to 18, should have the chance to access inclusive, quality, and equitable education, whether a girl or boy, internally displaced or returning home after conflict induced migration.
Donor:
Education Cannot Wait (ECW)
PEOPLE REACHED
(girls 64,862; boys 57,528)
TIMEFRAME
2022 - 2025
LOCATION
Burundi
Since the introduction of free primary education in 2005, Burundi has seen enormous progress in the gross enrolment rate in primary education.
Forced population movements (both internal and international) following the political crisis of 2015 and recent climate related disasters, have destroyed school infrastructure and created severe shortages of trained teachers and teaching materials. This, combined with families’ precarious socio-economic situations, has had a devastating impact on children’s ability to access and participate in education.
However, despite progresses made in enrolment, the completion rate for primary education is only 34%, with high dropout rates.
BUILDING RESILIENCE THROUGH EDUCATION
One of the most transformative components of the project was the introduction of the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme in Makamba province, in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), to encourage children’s attendance and ability to concentrate at school and thus reducing dropout rates. Makamba is a region that suffers greatly from acute malnutrition and impacts on children’s ability to learn effectively.
School meals play a vital role in shaping children's lives beyond the classroom. They deliver essential nutrients that promote healthy growth, cognitive development, and overall well-being.
Across World Vision’s emergency programmes in 2025,
children in 20 countries were reached with school meals
Knowing their children will receive a meal at school encourages families to prioritise education, leading to improved attendance and enrolment.
This impact is especially significant for girls and children with disabilities, who often face greater challenges in accessing education.
Home-Grown School Feeding provides school children with safe, varied, and nutritious meals made from food grown by local farmers. By creating steady demand for local produce and supporting farmers to access school feeding programs, it strengthens smallholder agriculture. HGSF integrates education, nutrition, farming, and social protection, helping to improve local food systems and children’s learning outcomes.
Through this initiative,
children from 14 schools
received daily, hot, nutritious meals. For many families struggling with poverty and food insecurity, this support meant their children could stay in school, concentrate in class, and thrive.
OBJECTIVES AND IMPACT
The key objectives of the project were:
LEARNING AND NEXT STEPS
The Komeza Wige project, carried out in partnership with families, schools, community stakeholders and local (and provincial) education authorities, and contributed to building school, family, community and system resilience not only saw a remarkable shift in attitudes towards children’s education but also helped build a commitment among local stakeholders to seeing education as a collective community responsibility.
School meals are shown to have a direct impact on education and learning outcomes when it is reinforced by other interventions. World Vision’s commitment to school meals remains unwavering. The integrated, community-driven approach of this project, partnering with diverse stakeholders, even in fragile locations, is consistent with World Vision's long term goal of transformation in the lives of children, families and communities.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR DONOR,
Education Cannot Wait and our partners in this project.
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email: info@worldvision.org.uk
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At World Vision, our focus is on helping the world’s most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. For 75 years, we have worked together with communities – of all faiths and none – even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.
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