The nursing home Ste. Elisabeth

We are committed to support the nursing home/hospice Sainte Elisabeth in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Around 60 people, mainly elderly who have been abandoned by their families but also terminally ill young people, live in the nursing home. They have no other choice than living there since they've been expelled from the society and otherwise would be doomed to live on the streets. Especially in the larger cities of Africa, expelling the elderly and letting them die on the street as their families don't support them anymore has become a more and more frequently occurring phenomenom.

Burundi has suffered from several civil wars until the year 2000 and consequently is one of the world's poorest countries. 

What makes the nursing home we support so special and why did we decide to support it?

The nursing home is lead voluntarily and unsalaried by Sister Colette, a trained nurse. Unfortunately the benefits paid by the government (about USD 500) are just enough to cover the water supply bills for 2 months. Additionally government-paid pensions are very rare or non-existing in most African countries. As a result the elderly depend heavily on the support of their families, which as mentioned before is a big problem since the elderly are often regarded as a burden for the family and thus are being expelled from society. Most of the older people in Burundi have never seen a doctor and don´t know exactly where their troubles come from.

The residents of the nursing home are full of joy -even if they are sick, handicapped, abandoned and old. They welcome visitors with enthusiasm and affection.

Help us to help Sister Colette. We want people to live with dignity... and to pass away, one day, with dignity too. 

You can find here the flyer of our work with the nursing home (in German) or below.