The much neglected water sector of Burundi has received a funding boost which is expected to improve the lives of rural communities across the country. The project will help create 18 latest-generation water supply systems powered by sustainable energy sources, such as solar.

A new privately-owned and operated electricity company is set to bring grid power to almost 70% of the population in Burundi. Weza Power is the result of a multi-year development partnership between Virunga Power and the Government of Burundi.

Good news for Amped Innovation. As part of its operations in Burundi, the company based in San Mateo, California, in the United States of America, has received funding of one million dollars. The funds come from the country window of the Electrification Financing Initiative (EDFI ElectriFI) for Burundi.

By embracing energy efficiency, industries in Burundi can not only enhance their competitiveness and contribute to the country’s economic diversification but also play a pivotal role in the global efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable development.

The Burundi government has launched a solar energy project for rural communities with the aim of increasing the electricity access rate and providing clean & efficient cooking solutions. The project, named ‘Soleil-Nyakiriza’ or Rural Community Solar Energy Project, is being rolled out by the Burundian Ministry of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines.

The FESEC Fund includes 3 funding windows: Start-up grants: targeting SMEs wishing to launch their activities in the sectors targeted by the Fund; Growth grants: Targeting already established businesses with capacity to distribute off-grid solar products as well as efficient and clean cooking products; Result-Based Financing

This facility will support the importation of critical inputs such as fertilizer, pharmaceuticals, solar energy panels, farm machinery and other intermediate goods that Burundi needs to revive its agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

105 maintenance technicians from the 49 health districts of Burundi and from the central level benefited from this training organized by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) with the support of UNICEF Burundi.

In Burundi, figures show that today access to energy is low and below the African average of 47%. Thanks to a government project funded by the World Bank and other development partners, Burundi expects the situation to improve in the coming years.

Depending on who you talk to on the streets of Bujumbura, there are arguments for and against the embargo that has left public mobility extensively disrupted and livelihoods damaged or lost entirely.