Projects

1. Village FXB Model

The VillageFXB model is a comprehensive approach to extreme poverty reduction initiated in 1991. Its goal is to simultaneously address fundamental factors contributing to poverty, such as economic vulnerability, malnutrition, limited access to healthcare, lack of access to education and information, and unsanitary living conditions.

Inspired by the public health paradigm developed by the late Dr. Jonathan Mann of Harvard University, emphasizing the interconnectedness of health and human rights, the VillageFXB model recognizes that sustainable impact on public health can only be achieved by addressing social and cultural factors that increase the risk of diseases and hinder access to fundamental rights.

The effective approach to breaking the cycle of extreme poverty involves a holistic perspective. By integrating an economic component to Mann’s approach, allowing beneficiaries to start income-generating activities through training and initial capital, FXB translated Mann’s public health paradigm into a development paradigm.

The Five Pillars of the VillageFXB Model:

1. Economic Empowerment
2. Access to Food Security
3. Access to Healthcare
4. Access to Education and Crucial Health and Social Information
5. Sanitation of Housing and Environment

2. Village FXB Nyabiraba & Kabezi Program

Since 2006, the organization has been active in the province of Bujumbura (rural and urban), accumulating practical and institutional experience. Twelve projects have been completed, while eight are currently ongoing. Completed projects have undergone internal and external evaluations. With this experience, the organization has a qualified team and sufficient documentation to implement new projects.

The new FXB Burundi program for the 2023-2026 period targets two provinces in the country, Bujumbura Rural and Kayanza, with a projected direct impact on 2,500 households, affecting more than 17,000 adults and children. In addition, in 2022, a longstanding FXB project in Burundi was operationalized, involving the creation of a community health mutual named TUVUZANYE, meaning “Let’s Heal Together” in Kirundi. This mutual movement aims to cover all municipalities in the Bujumbura Rural province, starting with Mutimbuzi in 2022. The new 2023-2026 program also aims to sustain this system and increase memberships to provide quality healthcare at a fair cost. While connections are established with other FXB projects, the mutual potentially targets the entire population of the province. Burundi is one of the five poorest countries in the world. Previous project results in this context have demonstrated a significant impact on improving the overall living conditions of supported families.

3. Expected outcomes

At the end of the three years of a project, a significant improvement in living conditions and social integration of beneficiary families is anticipated.

• Economic skills of male and female beneficiaries are developed and strengthened, with a diversification of income sources and an increase in savings capacity.
• Food security for targeted households is enhanced through increased and diversified plant and animal productions, following agroecological principles and respecting relevant ecosystems.
• Additionally, childhood malnutrition is eradicated.
• The health status of targeted households significantly improves through access to appropriate healthcare, prevention, and improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene-related infrastructure and behaviors.
• Early childhood development is integrated, ensuring the education of children and training of young individuals in targeted households in trades and entrepreneurship.
• Social integration of households, their resilience, and the empowerment of women are strengthened through close education, access to information, and psychosocial support. The community is sensitized to crucial health and social issues.