In the Busuma camp, over 65,000 people who have fled from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are facing extremely vulnerable conditions. With the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, WeWorld is taking action to prevent a nutritional crisis and ensure immediate assistance for the most vulnerable families.
Since late 2025, Burundi has seen a massive influx of refugees from eastern DRC, fleeing violence and insecurity. In response to the emergency, the Busuma site was established in Ruyigi province; it is now the country’s largest refugee camp, hosting over 65,000 people.
Initial nutritional assessments highlighted a critical situation, particularly among children under five and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Limited access to food and healthcare services has led to a high prevalence of moderate acute malnutrition, with the risk of a rapid deterioration in the absence of timely intervention.
In response to the emergency, WeWorld set up a programme within a few weeks to distribute ready-to-eat fortified porridge on a daily basis; the porridge was produced locally and intended for the most vulnerable people. The initiative was carried out in coordination with UNHCR, the WFP, UNICEF, local authorities and healthcare partners on the ground.
At its peak, the programme distributed over 400 portions a day, helping to fill a critical gap in nutritional support during the initial phase of the emergency.
The results were immediate and tangible. Many families saw their children’s health improve rapidly thanks to regular access to nutritional support and health monitoring. A young mother recounts that her two-year-old son, suffering from kwashiorkor, gained three kilos in just two months.
“Before February, I always felt weak, exhausted by my pregnancy because I was underweight and worried about my two-year-old son. He had been diagnosed with kwashiorkor and weighed only 10 kg. Thanks to the fortified porridge programme and the project’s nutritional monitoring, our lives have changed. In just two months, my son has gained 3 kg and now weighs 13 kg. He is in good health and I, eight months pregnant, have regained the strength and peace of mind I need for my upcoming delivery.”
- MWENGE Faila, 22
A key element of the project was also the direct involvement of the refugee community. Men and women from the camp volunteered to help prepare and distribute the porridge, thereby strengthening community participation and social cohesion in an extremely fragile context.
“I am a father of six children and I decided to take part in the project as a volunteer to ensure the safety and distribution of the porridge. I am on the front line to see the impact of the programme, because my own family benefits from it. My two youngest children, aged 2 and 4, come regularly to collect their portion. The change in my 2-year-old son is incredible: he weighed just 8 kg before we started and today the scales show 13 kg. As a father and a volunteer, seeing my son gain 5 kg gives me even more motivation to protect and support this project that saves our loved ones.”
- BLAMBO KINDI, aged 40
Over the coming months, WeWorld will continue to strengthen its humanitarian response in Busuma. Nutritional support will be complemented by child protection, psychosocial support and food security initiatives, including through the additional distribution of maize flour to support refugee families.
In the long term, WeWorld will implement an integrated approach combining health, nutrition, water and sanitation (WASH) and protection, with a particular focus on women, children and the most vulnerable.
In a context where humanitarian needs continue to rise, WeWorld renews its commitment to stand alongside refugee populations and host communities, emphasising the importance of rapid and coordinated support to ensure the continuity of life-saving interventions.