Burundi, is a densely populated, landlocked country in East Africa and ranks as the poorest country worldwide, with 70% of the population living in poverty and just $272 GDP per capita in 2022. Bujumbura is the country’s economic center and its main port. Bujumbura is situated next to Lake Tanganyika, which is the longest freshwater lake in the world.
The lingering effects of colonialism have led to a permanent state of political instability which has not allowed the country to focus on economic development, and there are high levels of corruption and mismanagement amongst the elite within the government which has affected the amount of foreign aid coming into the country.
There is a big divide between the ruling elites and rural farmers that provide almost all of the resources to the party-state, yet the farmers and ordinary citizens are for the most part powerless. After gaining independence in 1962, there were a series of political assassinations, coups, bouts of ethnic cleansing and two civil wars has contributed to the country being underdeveloped as any economic progress achieved became undone by the next conflict. In 2005 peace was restored, but returned to large-scale political strife as President Pierre Nkurunziza tried to run for a third term. In 2020 General Evariste Ndayishimiye became president, and with peace restored he declared that “the only enemy that remains a threat to citizens is poverty,” and has put out an ambitious plan to accelerate the process of socio-economic development.
The history of Belgium Imperialism in Burundi can teach us a larger lesson of how racism has been deliberately used to divide and rule the exploited masses, and what can happen if these tactics are not stopped in their tracks before they gain a foothold.
The lingering effects of colonialism have led to a permanent state of political instability which has not allowed the country to focus on economic development, and there are high levels of corruption and mismanagement amongst the elite within the government which has affected the amount of foreign aid coming into the country.
There is a big divide between the ruling elites and rural farmers that provide almost all of the resources to the party-state, yet the farmers and ordinary citizens are for the most part powerless. After gaining independence in 1962, there were a series of political assassinations, coups, bouts of ethnic cleansing and two civil wars has contributed to the country being underdeveloped as any economic progress achieved became undone by the next conflict. In 2005 peace was restored, but returned to large-scale political strife as President Pierre Nkurunziza tried to run for a third term. In 2020 General Evariste Ndayishimiye became president, and with peace restored he declared that “the only enemy that remains a threat to citizens is poverty,” and has put out an ambitious plan to accelerate the process of socio-economic development.
The history of Belgium Imperialism in Burundi can teach us a larger lesson of how racism has been deliberately used to divide and rule the exploited masses, and what can happen if these tactics are not stopped in their tracks before they gain a foothold.
The Kamenge neighborhood is one of the most economically disadvantages neighborhoods in the city proper, and is densely populated. The urban population makes up 14.4% of the total countrywide population. The demand for potable water has not been met, and there are very limited sanitation services. The water supply and sanitation endured years of sabotage and destruction during the civil war and its aftermath. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman sets with some items to sell outside of a shop in the Kamenge neighborhood. Men earn up to 22.7% more than women, and often there is not enough earned on any given day to provide enough for a family to eat. 70% of money earned goes towards food. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman finds a spot on the curb to sell onions in the Kamenge neighborhood. Food is often purchased in rural markets 15 miles away where it can then be sold at a higher price in the city. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman tends a small shop in the Kamenge neighborhood, sewing is a valuable skill that gives women a chance to earn some income for the family and gives them some autonomy. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman and her child sit outside of their house in the Kamenge neighborhood. People living in this neighborhood face frequent blackouts and unreliable electricity, and difficult access to clean water. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman carries bananas on her head in the kamange commune. Food is often purchased in rural markets where it can then be sold at a higher price in the city. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman sells corn on the curb in the Gihosha neighborhood. 90% of the people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, and 70% of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day. Bujumbura Burundi
Due to limited opportunities, many young men emigrate in search of employment opportunities elsewhere. Unemployment affects mainly the youthful population. Bujumbura Burundi
All the labor for clay brick making is done by hand and is local, often requiring a large number of people and the process is very labor intensive. The average salary for a brick maker is $70/month. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman carries a basket of fruit on her head which is intended for selling to bring in some income for her family. Women represent 55% of the workforce, but have limited access to any credit or land and the absence of inheritance law deprives them of the right to any inheritance or property which limits their access to credit even further. Bujumbura Burundi
A young boy plays in a park in the Kiriri neighborhood, children are highly valued as they are partly viewed as insurance for the future. Technically education is mandatory for children, but only an estimated 50% attend primary school, and 8% secondary school. Many parents opt to keep their children at home to work to help bring in income or care for younger siblings. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman sits on the side of the road on a hill that leads to Belvediere Hill. Lack of government spending on older people has contributed to younger people perceiving elderly people more negativity, and women in general are under represented in power structures. Bujumbura Burundi
Sugar cane is sold by a father and son in the Kanyosha neighborhood. Parents have not had to pay tuition since 2005, they still have to buy uniforms and supplies and lack any transportation, for that reason many boys and girls drop out of school. Secondary education remains unattainable for the majority of children. Bujumbura Burundi
A boy on a bicycle has containers to fetch water with; Burundi is one of the few countries where access to basic sanitation is lower in urban areas, and only 61% of the population can obtain safe drinking water within a 30-minute round trip from their home. Bujumbura Burundi
A child plays with a makeshift toy car in the Kanyosha neighborhood of Bujumbura. Bujumbura Burundi
Children walk by bananas intended for sale. Burundi has one of the world
Busy daily activity in the Kanyosha neighborhood of Bujumbura. Burundi is a land locked country and one of the most densely populated in Africa. Bujumbura Burundi
Children walk along a busy road together. Older siblings, particularly girls, are often in charge of taking care of the younger ones and play a larger role in the overall family childcare. Both girls and boys start to get assigned different chores by the age of five. Bujumbura Burundi
Daily life in the Kanyosha neighborhood; in Burundi owning a bicycle is considered a treasure and can help raise the living standard of the entire family and rely on it to help bring in income to be able to afford to feed their families. These cyclists are mainly young men in their twenties, and their only goal is to use it a means to an end to earn more money. Bujumbura Burundi
A woman sells second hand clothing on the sidewalk in the Kamenge neighborhood. Women are often marginalized and face fewer opportunities for training or credit and typically are just able to eke out an existence at the subsistence level. Bujumbura Burundi
Food and other goods are brought in to the Kamange neighborhood for resale; food is purchased in the rural Nyabiraba food market where it is transported over 15 miles by bicycle to the city where it can be sold at a higher price. Bujumbura Burundi
Daily life in the Kamenge neighborhood, this area has frequent blackouts where it is problematic for the dairies and other small businesses which require electricity, and access to basic sanitation remains limited. Sanitation and clean drinking water declined in many urban areas as they experienced rapid growth from the return of exiled and internally displaced peoples. Bujumbura Burundi
Bujumbura - City in the Heart of Africa
Alexandra Buxbaum
Photographer
based in Chicao & Phoenix
Public Project
Bujumbura - City in the Heart of Africa
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