The Heart of Africa Center is the central hub of AVC Burundi's community development work in Gihanga. It provides a shared space where learning, skills development, social support, and community engagement take place. The Center brings together community members, local leaders, and partners to strengthen local capacity and promote inclusive, people-centered development.
More than a physical facility, the Heart of Africa Center is a catalyst for long-term change. Through training, education, livelihood support, and social empowerment initiatives, it helps communities build resilience, confidence, and self-reliance. By encouraging participation and local ownership, the Center supports sustainable development rooted in the real needs of the people.
We carry out chaplaincy work in Muramvya, Makamba, and several police camps, providing spiritual support, counseling, and prayer. We are praying to expand this work to Bubanza and additional prisons as the Lord provides volunteers.
As part of this ministry, we distribute Bibles in French and Swahili, and we hope to extend this outreach to more prisons in the future. There is a strong and growing need for Kirundi Bibles to better serve local communities.
Our women-focused initiatives aim to empower women economically, spiritually, and socially through practical skills training, access to resources, and supportive fellowship.
We operate six sewing schools, each equipped with five sewing machines, where women receive six months of practical training in tailoring and sewing skills.
A total of 60 sewing machines have been provided to women as revolving loans. Beneficiaries repay the machines' value over time, allowing the program to cycle and support additional women.
Azalea Burundi mobilizes pastors' wives from different denominations to pray, reflect, and support one another in their calling. The fellowship meets once a month, encouraging collaboration and strengthening women's ministries within their respective churches.
Our children-focused programs are designed to nurture learning, character development, and wellbeing in safe and supportive environments within churches, local communities, and refugee camps.
We run 80 children's clubs across churches and communities, reaching:
The clubs meet once a week for two hours, following a structured curriculum that supports learning, values formation, and personal growth.
To support children's wellbeing, 400 children receive meals every Saturday after training in Musenyi, Gihanga, and Ngagara.
Every six months, we organize children's conferences to assess learning outcomes, improve training approaches, and conduct training-of-trainers sessions to strengthen program quality.
The Youth Ministry is dedicated to equipping, discipling, and empowering young people to discover their purpose, grow in character, and actively impact their communities through faith, service, and leadership.
We engage and support university students through mentorship, discipleship, and spiritual formation, helping them navigate faith, leadership, and life decisions.
Youth camps are organized across five regions, creating spaces for spiritual growth, leadership development, fellowship, and transformation.
We identify and nurture youth talents through structured discovery and training programs, empowering young people to develop their gifts for service and ministry.
Youth Challenge programs motivate young people to embrace responsibility, purpose, and positive impact in their communities.
Through discipleship and outreach activities, youth are equipped to live out their faith, serve others, and actively reach their peers.
Kodesh Media is a creative media department dedicated to discovering, developing, and empowering the talents and callings of young people. Through media, arts, and digital platforms, we help youth express their gifts and engage audiences at local and international levels.
We identify and nurture youth talents in singing, drama, photography, reporting, and other creative media disciplines, providing mentorship and practical opportunities to grow.
Through Kodesh Media, young people are equipped to use their creativity with purpose, professionalism, and impact.
Our health initiatives focus on prevention, counseling, and compassionate care, supporting the wellbeing of children, women, refugees, and community leaders. We integrate professional guidance with spiritual care to promote healthy families and resilient communities.
We provide solution-focused therapy to help individuals and families address challenges, build resilience, and find practical pathways forward.
Ongoing counseling support is offered to individuals and families, addressing emotional, social, and mental health needs.
We emphasize the responsibility of leaders to safeguard children's health, equipping caregivers and community leaders with guidance and accountability in child wellbeing.
During daily children's activities, a qualified nurse is present to advise children and parents on health-related issues, with special attention to:
We are praying and planning for the government's approval to establish a community health center, expanding access to healthcare services in the future.
Our education program focuses on long-term leadership development and community transformation through structured training, mentorship, and practical ministry experience.
We currently support 20 students enrolled in a two-year training program. After completing the training, graduates are expected to:
Training is structured to combine classroom learning with practical ministry:
This alternating model ensures that learning is immediately applied in real community contexts.
Our refugee ministry provides comprehensive support to refugees through spiritual care, skills training, and community services, creating a safe and nurturing environment for displaced individuals and families.
1,200 refugees come to church every Sunday, finding community, hope, and spiritual support in their journey.
20 machines on site for skills trainings, including 10 shaving machines for shaving children and needy individuals for free, providing practical support and dignity to those in need.
40 youth doing music and cultural healing, using the power of music and cultural expression to bring healing, hope, and restoration to refugee communities.
Comprehensive pastoral care services providing spiritual guidance, emotional support, and counseling to refugees navigating the challenges of displacement.
Professional counseling services addressing trauma, grief, and the psychological needs of refugees, helping them process their experiences and build resilience.
MMED (Micro Macro Enterprise Development) exists to support sustainable livelihoods, strengthen community-owned businesses, and reduce dependency and poverty by empowering individuals and enterprises to become economically resilient while supporting ministry work.
MMED plays a key role in supporting ministry activities through income-generating enterprises while promoting long-term economic stability.
These resources contribute directly to poverty alleviation, self-reliance, and ministry sustainability.
All six companies meet regularly for monitoring, evaluation, and follow-up to ensure accountability, growth, and alignment with MMED's mission.
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