Current information

Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world. More than 74.3 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, most of them smallholder households. From 1993 to 2005, a civil war raged in the landlocked East African country, from whose consequences the country has barely recovered to this day. Burundi's economic development suffers from political instability and regular crop failures. Not least for these reasons, it is important to counter poverty-related diseases such as hunger, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

Since December 2018, the association Pharmacists Without Borders has been working on perspectives for students of the training course for pharmaceutical technical assistants (PTA) in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. The Ecole Polyvalente Carolus school is the only local teaching institution to offer training as a PTA, and 1,000 students attend the school each year. The school focuses on one goal in particular: to give young people a better chance of a future worth living in Burundi and to expand the healthcare system.

Pharmacists Without Borders supports the school in terms of content and financially by providing advice and help with equipment, devices, laboratory and teaching materials. In addition, the organization sponsors PTA students who cannot afford the school fees of 300 euros per year. So far, all PTA school graduates have been able to take up a qualified job, which is gradually improving the level of pharmaceutical care in Burundi.

We are pleased to be able to support the voluntary commitment and valuable work in Burundi this year. Our monetary donation not only benefits the students, but also contributes to a sustainable improvement of the health care system.