H.E. DENISE NKURUNZINZA, RECIEVES CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNIZITION FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO HER COMMUNITY

1st Lady Center Left

It was a monumental day when the First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, Denise Nkurunziza received recognition at the United Nations in New York for her BUNTU Foundation and service to her country. She received this award for winning the Women’s Progress Award for achieving the millennium development goals for women’s issues in the Republic of Burundi. This Special Congressional Achievement Certificate from the United States of America is a great honor for the First Lady, Denise Nkurunzinza of the Republic of Burundi. 

Ambassador Clyde Rivers said, “We are very grateful to the United States for this Special Congressional Achievement Certificate honoring the First Lady of Burundi. She is a true champion of her people and all humanity.”

BURUNDI FIRST LADY AWARDED VOICE OF AFRICAN MOTHERS AWARD AT UNITED NATIONS

1st Lady receiving award at the UN

Voice of African Mothers is an organization that has put together an award for the First Ladies of Africa. Voices of African Mothers award recipients are women that have worked hard to reach the millennium development goals for women’s issues within their respective countries. The First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, Denise Nkurunzinza, received this award at the United Nations and was an overwhelming winner of this award because she exceeded the goals set for millennium development for her country.

Her BUNTU Foundation has been a major voice for women in Burundi. Her organization is teaching motherhood, child-rearing and life skills with economic empowerment to the women of her country. Ambassador Clyde Rivers says, “Burundi's 1st Lady will always lead the way because of her strong voice for her people and her belief in God. It is great to see a country achieve goals to help their people. A big congratulations to the First Lady, Denise Nkurunzinza, for achieving the Women’s Progress Award 2013 for her millennium development goals.”

BUNTU FOUNDATION GETS ATTENTION IN AMERICA

Amb Clyde Rivers & 1st Lady Denise Nkurunziza

The BUNTU Foundation has been established for the benefit of the Burundian public to bring humanitarian assistance to the people who have been victims following different social and political crises. The main focus of the BUNTU Foundation is to bring security and hope to orphans, widows and widowers, handicapped and old people without assistance. This organization, originating from the initiative of Her Excellency Madame Denise BUCUMI NKURUNZIZA, has caught the attention of several American educational institutions in America.

Clyde Rivers PhD, Honorary Ambassador at Large for the Republic of Burundi commented, “Several educational institutions in the United States have shown an interest in helping the BUNTU Foundation. It is great to see positive exposure coming to the country of Burundi from the Western World. We are accustom to seeing Africa looking for handouts but the BUNTU Foundation is looking to give their people a hand up through the labor of this great foundation and the encouragement of the First Lady.”

H.E. DENISE NKURUNZIZA INTRODUCES HER YOUTH TO THE IT AGE

1st Lady Denise Nkurunziza

First Lady of Burundi, H.E. Denise Nkurunziza, Founder of the BUNTU Foundation is identifying the need to move Burundi into the IT age. There are many obstacles but together, with the BUNTU Foundation, H.E. Denise Nkurunziza is pushing forward for the sake of their youth and the education arenas they need to move into.

Due to a lack of electricity in rural areas and computer labs in many schools, in Burundi, almost 99% of pupils finish high schools without touching even a mouse of a computer. In order to improve education in our nation, BUNTU Foundation has decided to reach schools in villages, particularly those in final years; offering them classes on Computer Basics, Introduction to Microsoft Windows, Introduction to Microsoft Word and Internet basics.

These classes are held in a BUNTU Foundation IT Bus that accommodates 18 students. This IT Bus is designed to even reach those schools where there is no electricity and generators are used for power. The First Lady continues to advance her country and to empower the next generations.