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ISANGE CENTER - BURUNDI ðŸ‡§ðŸ‡®

Hospitality and care for abandoned disabled children

The ISANGE CENTER was created by the Institute of the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy. The reception of children with disabilities began in 2016, following the socio-political problems that Burundi has been experiencing since 1993 and which has led to the abandonment of many children in various places in the country.
First were the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta who, to deal with this emergency, began to welcome children without families by hosting them in a center located in Kajaga, in the Municipality of Bujumbura.

It should be noted that in Africa and in Burundi in particular, children represent an important wealth for families. Unfortunately however, if the child is born with a physical or mental disability, families are forced to face countless problems as such a situation is  considered a divine curse.
The family of the disabled child is normally isolated from the community; the mother in most cases ends up being abandoned by her husband, through divorce or polygamy; these children are often not accepted at first by their parents; they are hated by other children because they are considered monsters; it is not uncommon for them to be hidden or abandoned by their parents to avoid being isolated from the rest of society.
 

In 2015, thanks to the financial support of the Xaverian Fathers operating in Burundi, a shelter was built suitable for hosting children with disabilities.
The structure has a space for girls and one for boys, a kitchen, a refectory and a room for physiotherapy sessions: thus the ISANGE CENTER was born.
In September 2016, the Isange Center welcomed the first seven children without families from the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta of the Kajaga Center.
After a few days, five other disabled children from poor local families joined.
On 5 September 2017, the approval of the Ministry of the Interior arrived, with Ministerial Decree n. 530/1297 for the official creation of the center called "CENTRO ISANGE" which means "FEEL AT HOME".

WHERE IS IT

Republic of Burundi
Bujumbura City Hall
Muha municipality
Location Kanyosha
Gisyo district
Phone: +257  72  112  016 
Fax: +257 67 498 694
Mail: centreisangefdm@gmail.com

Faced with the impossibility, due to space issues, of accommodating all the abandoned children, given the considerable daily care needs and the inadequate resources available, the center was temporarily limited to only twenty-four children.
The waiting list has now become very long and some families continue to abandon children with disabilities outside the gate of the Isange Center.
Precisely for this reason, the number of children hosted has now risen to twenty-seven.

The hope is that, thanks to the help of all those who wish to contribute to the cause, more children can be hosted and given the adequate care they need. There is a project to expand the facility, but currently there is no money to carry it out.

Updates on the evolution of the situation will be published on this page.
If you want to donate Click here.
 

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