Where We Work

Burundi and Rwanda, two landlocked countries in East Africa, are in the Great Lakes region, bordered by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda. Both countries host refugee populations, particularly from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Despite their rich cultural heritage and commitment to education, both countries face significant challenges inproviding quality learning opportunities, particularly in rural and refugee communities. Many schools struggle with a lack of essential resources such as books, writing materials, and digital tools, while overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages further limit students' ability to receive a proper education.

Key education challenges in Burundi and Rwanda:

• Educational poverty: 

In Burundi, 96% of children are unable to read and understand an age-appropriate text by age 10 (Burundi learning poverty brief 2022). In Rwanda, the average student in Grade 3 achieves only 10.1% of grade-level expectations in English (Rwanda Education-Budget Brief-2022-2023).

• Lack of Learning Materials: 

Both countries face a shortage of textbooks and inadequate teaching resources, severely affecting the quality of education.

• Teacher Shortages: 

The student-teacher ratio is high, with 52:1 in Burundi (Burundi Analyse du secteur de l'éducation) and 57:1, and in some cases 120:1 in Rwanda (Education in Rwanda- A situation Analysis 2024).

• Limited Access to Technology: 

Many students from underserved communities lack the digital devices necessary to access online learning resources, a gap that was especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic (Empowering education-The transformative role of technology in Africa).

BOUND FOR CHANGE address these critical educational gaps and create a foundation for scalable impact.Through providing books, digital devices, and online connections with teachers, we are bridging the divide and giving children the tools they need to succeed !​​​​​​​​​​​​​​