Flooded and Disheartened: Mental Health Crisis Among Gisagara Camp’s Displaced Youth
- Avit Ndayiziga
- hace 12 minutos
- 16 Min. de lectura
Climate change and the El Niño phenomenon-induced effects have displaced over 196,000 people in Burundi. Among them, displaced youth face severe mental health crises, including PTSD, disrupting their education. Despite initiatives like the “Ni Abacu” program, urgent actions are needed to address trauma, improve disaster response, and prioritize mental health care for children and adolescents.
This story was produced with support from the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Read the original article here.
A Harrowing Flood Survival
Sylvana Bigirimana feels lucky to be alive after surviving the catastrophic floods that devastated her home in Gatumba, Bujumbura Province, also known as Bujumbura Rural.
From her one-room tent at Gisagara camp, in the Mubimbi commune of Bujumbura, where she now shelters with her four children, she recalls the night water surged into their house, submerging it and all her belongings.
Accustomed to occasional flooding since 2022, she used to mop it up. But on that fateful night, mopping up could not help at all. The Rusizi River overflowed its banks, and the water rose to approximately three meters.“We were stuck in the water, but the Red Cross Burundi agents or volunteers came to our rescue,” Sylvana explains.
The 42-year-old woman panicked when she suddenly felt water on her body while sleeping in the middle of the night, as her four children were hopelessly wandering. The nightmare she recalls occurred in March 2024 in the western zone of Gatumba, Bujumbura Province, and the Vugizo district, which borders the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This deadly flood occurred within hours after heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, poured relentlessly from the evening hours. During this unforgettable night, Sylvana lost all her meager possessions and her house.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, the Burundi displacement dashboard, as of December 31, 2024, Sylvana is among 196,171 displaced individuals sheltered at various internally displaced people (IDPs)camps, including Gisagara, Gateri, and Mutambara, across Burundi.
Number of affected and internally displaced people from 2018 to 2024
Since 2018, 1,016,849 persons were affected and 196,171 individuals became IDPs. Beyond that, 2024 recorded the highest number of 50,988 IDPs. The difference between IDPs amounts to 820,678 affected individuals.
The same IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix reveals that 55% of Internal Displaced Persons are women, 45% are men, and 55% are children and adolescents under 18.
It also indicates that since 2018, sudden-onset climate shocks, particularly torrential rains, floods, and strong winds, have affected 1,016,849 persons in Burundi and have killed 161 people and left 788 injured.
Between January 2018 and December 2024, the main affected provinces were Kirundo (179,435 individuals affected), Bujumbura Rural (171,359 individuals affected), and Ngozi (167,135 individuals affected).
Alongside the severe human impact, these disasters destroyed many houses (85,592) and other constructions. Among them are 781 classrooms and 640 different types of infrastructure.
The destruction of classrooms led to an increase in school dropouts, rising from 2.3 to 2.8 overall. In the most affected areas, this rate spiked from 2 to 3. Financial hardship is a major factor, as many children are forced to work to support their families.
Crop fields have also been damaged, affecting an estimated 112,664 households.
El Niño’s Devastating Impact
According to the Institut National de la Statistique du Burundi (INSBU) report, the above heavy rain that struck the southern and western parts of Burundi bordering Lake Tanganyika and Rusizi River and other other countries of the East African Community during the rainy seasons of 2023 and 2024, resulting in flooding, landslides, strong winds, and heavy rainfall, was named the “El Niño phenomenon.”
Types of Climate change-induced disasters in Burundi
As of December 2024, among the 196171 internally displaced persons, 148,894 were victims of torrential rains and floods.
The same INSBU report indicates that since the beginning of the rainy season in September 2023, the floods have claimed the lives of 33 people. Among them, 7 people were devoured by crocodiles while trying to rescue their possessions submerged by water, and 10 died of a cholera epidemic among 1,820 reported cases.
Beyond human fatalities, the El Niño phenomenon affected 306,000 people. Of the 13,335 flooded houses, 11,200 were destroyed or damaged, as the report indicated.
In addition to homes, public infrastructure, including health centers and 220 schools, was also destroyed, leaving students to attend school under trees.
The above losses and damages confirm Burundi’s vulnerability to the devastating effects of climate change despite producing less than 0.0024 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.
According to the World Bank report, Climate change is the primary driver of internal displacement in Burundi and disproportionately affects women and children living in the country’s rural and coastal areas. Burundi ranks among the 20 most affected countries in the Global South.
Life in Displacement: Fear and Trauma
When the floods swept away everything from Sylvana Ndagijimana, she and her four children were displaced to Gisagara camp situated in the rural setting of the Mubimbi commune of Bujumbura Province.
When visiting Gisagara camp in December 2024, makeshift shelters constructed from large plastic tarpaulin sheets, supported by wooden frames, welcomed us. Their rudimentary appearance highlights the difficult living conditions and uncertainties IDPs face.
At that time, the sun was still shining brightly on the Western side of the sky, while dark clouds were gathering ominously on the Eastern side, signaling an imminent rain. The thunder rumbled in the distance, and flashes of lightning crossed the sky.
During this time, Ciza Jean-Marie, a 7-year-old boy, one of Sylvana’s sons, was crying heavily. But he was not the only one crying. The camp was filled with the cries of other children.
Their cries caught our attention, and we questioned why they were crying. Ciza could not respond. He instead kept crying. However, her mother stepped in, explaining, “Whenever rain is imminent, children start crying. We believe they are haunted by their experiences during the previous flood, traumatized by the thunderstorms and lightning. They fear heavy rain could again lead to flooding, just as it did in Gatumba, destroying their former homes.”Sylvana noted.
Psychologist and Professor Léandre Simbananiye from the University of Burundi describes the reasons behind children’s cries as “the signs of impending rain that reopen untreated wounds or trauma, causing the children to relive their past experiences.” He described this phenomenon as traumatic repetition syndrome, explaining that it “triggers thoughts, images, and flashbacks tied to traumatic memories, making them fear the recurrence of distressing events.”
Expounding on the impact of trauma, Simbananiye stated, “Trauma manifests in various forms, including feelings of distress, intense fear, flashbacks akin to nightmares, and thoughts of imminent death.” He added, “There are also psycho-physiological symptoms such as heart palpitations, rapid breathing, trembling, chills, and excessive sweating.”
Simbananiye warned that untreated trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a psychiatric condition that disrupts daily life, school learning, and social interactions. This psychological burden makes it difficult for displaced children to focus in class, as fear, anxiety, and distress continue to affect their ability to succeed academically.
Education Disrupted
Meanwhile, Sylvana, Ciza’s mother, shared her concerns about her son, noting that he has lost interest in attending school and is crying when rain approaches. “The school is quite far, and the daily heavy rain, wind, thunder, and lightning have traumatized him,” she said, expressing deep worry about his future if these circumstances persist.
Fourteen-year-old Joseph Ndikumana and sixteen-year-old Alice Niyonsaba, both displaced students, report difficulties attending school. Floods destroyed their homes and schools, forcing them to travel longer distances under harsh conditions.
“When it starts raining while we are in the classroom, my heart races. Some students have stopped attending classes because the rain soaks them every day. We are studying under atrocious conditions,” remarked Ndikumana.
Niyonsaba struggles with traumatic memories triggered by classmates’ questions about the floods, which affect her concentration. “During the floods, we lost everything. Now it’s very cold, and we travel long distances to school. But what hurts me the most is when my classmates frequently ask me what happened. It brings back memories of the dead bodies I saw for the first time, drowned in the water. It breaks my heart,” Niyonsaba shared.
Reflecting on life before the floods, Niyonsaba says that living in a camp alongside unfamiliar peers stresses her as she needs to adapt to their diverse cultures. She also highlights the absence of electricity in the camp, which deprives children of simple pleasures such as watching cartoons.
The lack of entertainment deepens her boredom and reminds her of her past life in Gatumba. This situation prompts her to ponder whether she will ever be able to return to the life she once had.
Trauma and Distance: Schooling Amid Displacement
While researcher Simbananiye warns that untreated trauma develops into PTSD that disrupts students’ learning, Barthélemy Nyabenda, the director of Lycée Communal Matyazo II, which has admitted many internally displaced pupils, describes a difficult learning context. He noted that the long, exhausting commute from the plains to the hilly school, worsened by rain and lack of shelter, causes many students to arrive late, fatigued, or even drop out. The rainy season of heavy rain, wind, thunder, and lightning makes their commute even more perilous.
“There are no houses nearby to provide shelter along the way,” the educator explained. Many pupils return home drenched, with their school materials damaged by the rain. “It’s disheartening to them to continue attending school. They are so desperate,” Nyabenda added.
Unfortunately, some pupils have already dropped out of school due to these overwhelming challenges.
The director highlighted that 31 pupils have already dropped out of three schools: Lycée Communal Matyazo, Matyazo II, and Kanyinya Basic School.
Alongside the school director, the Gisagara Camp leader, Abdul Karim Muzinga, acknowledged the growing concern over school dropouts within the camp. “We have reported the matter to the education ministry,” he stated, adding the government has promised to provide mobile schools to address this issue.
However, he highlighted that the challenges pupils face go beyond the need for access to education. “Many pupils are deeply traumatized. They need psychological support to help them understand that life goes on after the floods and that the country will depend on their contributions in the future,” he emphasized.
In addition to calling for psychological support, the camp leader urged parents to encourage their children to attend school. “Even under these difficult conditions, it’s crucial for parents to push their children to continue their education. Their resilience is what will shape the future,” Muzinga appealed.
Displaced and Mentally Ruined
Dr. Godelive Nimubona, one of Burundi’s four psychiatrists, currently works at the Kamenge Neuropsychiatric Center (CNPK), the country’s only specialized mental health hospital. She highlights the severe mental health impact of climate change-induced disasters. According to her, floods and landslides are disruptive and traumatic events affecting people’s well-being.
When people are forced to flee in such contexts, Dr. Nimubona explains, they arrive broken and overwhelmed with stress. And if that stress persists, it can lead to a lot of mental health-related problems.
“Imagine, witnessing the tragic death of your loved ones drowned by water, seeing your own house crumbling down on your children, and your livestock perishing while observing and unable to do anything. So it is traumatic, it is as if someone had pinched the heart,” notes the psychiatrist.
The expert adds that victims of these devastating effects often struggle to cope with daily challenges. “They live with a persistent fear of future events. Many experience recurring nightmares and frequently relive their traumatic experiences. It leads them to a state of hyper-vigilance filled with anxiety as if danger could strike again at any time,’’ she highlighted.
Struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after Floods
To clarify how traumatic events affect people’s future lives, Dr Nimubona gives an example. “Here we have a child of about 9-10 years old. Their house collapsed while they were inside, and at the drop of a hat, he lost his two brothers. He has succumbed to this event. His mental health is not normal two years after the traumatic event. He is even afraid to enter my office because he still has that anxiety that it may collapse on him again,” she confirmed that the child suffers from PTSD.
Referring to the IOM numbers indicating that 55% of IDPs are children under 18, Dr. Nimubona underscores the vulnerability of children in the face of climate change-induced effects. “Normally, children are fragile because they have not yet acquired the emotional and mental maturity to cope with traumatic events,” she notes, adding that after children, women are the second most vulnerable.
She further pointed out that the vulnerability of women adversely affects children. “When mothers live in uncomfortable conditions, such as camps for internally displaced people, it creates a sense of frustration,” she noted.
This frustration can have implications for expectant mothers and their unborn children. “When a mother is stressed during pregnancy, that stress can reach her child in the womb,” Dr. Nimubona said. “A child shares the same feelings as their mother, which means they can experience discomfort even before birth.”
The psychiatrist warns that if these challenging conditions persist after birth, children may encounter further developmental difficulties. “For a child to grow up normally, certain essential needs must be met: nutritional, emotional, and moral support are crucial for healthy development and personality formation,” she emphasizes.
According to the mental health practitioner, unmet emotional and environmental conditions during a child’s upbringing can lead to deep-seated fragility.
This vulnerability, compounded over time, often results in heightened emotional instability. Furthermore, the practitioner emphasizes that a mother enduring such adverse circumstances cannot nurture and fulfill her child’s emotional needs to the same extent as one living in a stable and supportive environment.
Childhood Trauma Left Him with Bipolar Disorder
Emphasizing the psychiatrist’s statement, Vincent Nahimana, a dedicated 49-year-old occupational therapist and father of four working at CNPK, openly shares his journey with bipolar disorder, a condition he was diagnosed with in 2002 at the age of 26, but deep-rooted in his childhood complexities and bewildering experiences.
Reflecting on his experience, this therapist expressed, “Mental health disorders are not something you can be vaccinated against. They arise from deeply rooted challenges and experiences that shape us over time.”
Nahimana attributes the origins of his mental health struggles to the hardships he faced during his childhood years. “When my mother got married, she left me with my grandfather. At that time, I was just a little child, so young that I couldn’t even remember my age. Growing up, I never knew my father, and no one in my family or among my caregivers ever told me anything about him,” he confided.
Growing up without parental support, “I missed out on the bond between a mother and child, or even between a father and child. I lacked emotional support and the rights every child should inherit from their parents.” The absence of these relationships and guidance left him feeling adrift. “I grew up without knowing where I was heading in life,” Nahimana explained. “As I matured, I found myself completely alone, with no one ready to help me take those crucial first steps toward building my future.”
Adding salt to injury, the caregivers he had relied on for guidance and support as he matured turned against him. This betrayal overwhelmed him and plunged him into a severe mental health crisis.
Nahimana emphasized that these formative experiences led to his bipolar disorder diagnosis. “It was the complexity and bewilderment of those childhood experiences that led me to this point,” he noted.
The therapist warns that the early stages of mental health challenges often go unnoticed. “Initially, individuals may not recognize the symptoms or the changes occurring in their mental state,” the therapist explains. “It’s only when they start becoming aware of what’s happening that a battle begins, a fight to cope with the condition and find solutions. Unfortunately, these solutions are often not sustainable in the long term.”
Nahimana highlights the toll this process can take, describing how the mental burden and overwhelming influx of unprocessed information strain the brain to a breaking point. “This strain can lead to an injury in the brain, which manifests as a mood disorder, such as bipolar disorder,” he concludes.
Rising Trauma Exposure Causes PTSD in Children
While children are vulnerable to climate change-induced traumatic events, which adversely affect their mental health, the research on the relationship between trauma and attachment in Burundi’s school-aged children has revealed that the exposure of children and adolescents to trauma is one of the public health challenges.
The Research has indicated that among 500 students surveyed, ranging from 7-12 years, 56.6% have been exposed to Natural disasters, 62.8% witnessed a dead body, and 61.9% were exposed to the death or injury of a loved one.
In addition to the above research, the first-ever Mental Health survey conducted in 4 provinces of Burundi in 2019 indicated that 42.7% of people surveyed report having already experienced a health problem related to nerves, and the proportion of individuals with health issues increases with age.
Regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, the results showed that 33.4% of respondents experienced traumatic events related to the sociopolitical crises that Burundi has gone through, and 72.6% of respondents encountered traumatic events throughout their lives.
Among the respondents who experienced traumatic events, 24.3% stated that these events have caused reactions such as distressing memories or dreams, feeling emotionally distant or depressed, sleep or concentration difficulties, or feeling more nervous than usual or easily startled.
Additionally, 19.6% reported having flashbacks or reliving experiences, where they suddenly acted or felt as though they were re-experiencing the initial traumatic event.
Despite high mental health prevalence, the same survey showed that the rate of consultations with mental health specialists remains notably low. Specifically, only 1.6% of individuals have sought help from specialists, which remains less than the 3.4% who expressed the intention to consult a specialist at some point during their lives.
Ni Abacu: They Deserve Mental Health Support
In 2021, following a survey, the Ministry of Public Health and the Fight Against AIDS, in partnership with the Swiss Cooperation, introduced the mental health initiative “Ni Abacu’’ (which translates as “they are ours”).
This program, running from 2021 to 2024, aims to integrate mental health into primary health care in four provinces of Burundi: Bujumbura, Ngozi, Gitega, and Rumonge.
The main objectives of the program remain to provide clinical and community-based care for post-traumatic mental illnesses within public, faith-based, and associative health structures, both at the central and decentralized levels. The program also aims to reduce the discrimination that patients and their families face. The direct beneficiaries of this program are individuals suffering from post-traumatic disorders, as well as their families and communities.
Alexis Hatungimana, Psychotherapist and Program Manager at Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services (THARS), and the National Coordinator of the “Ni Abacu” project in its Community component, indicates that Burundians were not aware of mental health disorders until the launching of this program.
Ten Thousand Diagnosed with Mental Health Issues Within Four Years
Over the past four years, the “Ni Abacu” mental health initiative has raised awareness among more than 500,000 people across four provinces of Burundi.
Psychotherapist Alexis noted that awareness grew, so did the number of individuals seeking help and receiving diagnoses for mental health conditions. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of diagnosed cases increased steadily from 300 to nearly 5,000, reaching a total of 10,000 over the four years.
Beyond that, 13% are children under 15, while 49% are between the ages of 15 and 25, confirming the vulnerability of children and adolescents.
Age groups of vulnerable individuals with mental illnesses
Young people aged 25 to 35 are particularly vulnerable to mental health illnesses, with an average of 82%, while children under 15 still require attention, with an average of 13%.
He also states that, “45.3% of these individuals are suffering from PTSD .”He further explains, “Many of them are victims of the floods that struck the northern part of Bujumbura, particularly Gatunguru, in 2014 and 2017. Others include 5,000 merchants affected by the massive fire that devastated the central market of Bujumbura—one of the country’s key economic hubs—on January 27, 2013.”
Categories of mental illnesses
Beyond depression and epilepsy, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders follow with an average of 45.3%.
A Metaphor for Mental Health Struggles
For children, Hatungimana explained that many mental health issues stem from unresolved childhood trauma. “Children who face mistreatment or are born into extreme poverty or refugee families carry unhealed mental wounds into adulthood,” he explained.
He described a unique analogy, likening every individual to having an internal “trash bin” that collects daily challenges. “When you consider the recurring floods, landslides leaving people homeless, and the trauma they endure, the weight is immense,” he said, adding that the war that ravaged Burundi for decades, coupled with skyrocketing prices and social struggles, contributes to filling this bin.
Without proper psychological support, he warned, “this metaphorical trash bin overflows.” It is only when it does, he notes, that it manifests as a mental health disease.
Hatungimana emphasizes that psychological care is crucial for unpacking these accumulated burdens and guiding individuals toward recovery.
Young Adults Most Vulnerable
After four years, the “Ni Abacu” project reports that the most vulnerable age group is between 25 and 35 years old, according to data from health center providers (71%) and hospitals (93%). Women are the second most affected group (66.7%), followed by young people (14.3%), men, and finally widows, widowers, and divorcees (7.1%). Depression and epilepsy are the most common mental illnesses diagnosed.
Despite these figures, individuals, communities, society, development partners, and even the government still overlook it and do not consider it a priority. Both Dr. Godelive Nimubona and Alexis Hatungimana regret that mental health is still classified among non-communicable diseases. Hatungimana urges the government to prioritize mental health amidst the country’s mounting challenges. “There is no health without mental health,” he said.
He warned that fuel shortages, soaring prices, and climate change’s devastating effects are worsening people’s living conditions, and “If mental health is neglected, Burundians will lose the capacity to work and contribute to the country’s progress.”
The Psychotherapist also highlighted the lack of comprehensive public data on mental health at the national level.
Mental Health Care for Children: An Uphill Struggle
Dr. Nimubona expressed grave concerns over Burundi’s severe shortage of mental health providers. “Currently, there is only one psychiatric hospital in the entire country, the Neuropsychiatric Center of Kamenge (CNPK),” she said. Burundi has only four psychiatrists, with only three available to serve the population.
Data from the “Ni Abacu” project reveals that children and adolescents are the second most vulnerable group in terms of mental health, following women. However, Dr. Nimubona, serving CNPK since 2008, noted the country lacks child psychiatrists, making it difficult to launch dedicated mental health programs for children and adolescents.
She also sounded the alarm over the scarcity of psychotropic medications, critical for managing long-term mental health conditions. These drugs are in limited supply and prohibitively expensive, placing a lifelong financial strain on patients.
Actions Amid Rising Climate-induced Disasters
Roger Ndikumana, General Director of Civil Protection and Disaster Management, highlighted the growing impact of climate change during the celebration of World Civil Protection Day on March 7, 2025. “Climate change has significantly increased the occurrence of disasters in our country,” he said, citing the rising frequency of floods and landslides.
Discussing his department’s response efforts, Ndikumana said, “During the Gatumba floods, we evacuated victims to various camps and ensured access to water, supported by partners providing vital services.” Despite these efforts, he highlighted significant challenges, particularly the severe shortage of civil protection equipment, such as water tanks, dump trucks, and ladder trucks, which limits effective response.
The Director also reported progress in disaster management planning, including collaboration with specialists to identify all risky areas. These have been integrated into a multi-hazard mapping system to improve planning and decision-making. Plans are underway to develop tools for assessing disaster-related damages.
However, the Red Cross of Burundi criticized slow police response during emergencies such as floods and wildfires, urging better communication among all parties.
Ndikumana concluded by urging residents on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and the Rusizi River to follow safety guidelines to reduce risks. He emphasized the critical need for collective action to address Burundi’s escalating climate-related disaster risks.
His call underscores harsh living conditions that victims of climate change-induced effects face in their camps of internally displaced people.
Even though they have been resettled at Gateri Camp, which offers relatively stable climatic conditions, located in Cibitoke Province, due to worsening climatic conditions at Gisagara Camp, Sylvana Bigirimana and her seven-year-old son, Ciza Jean-Marie, continue to endure the hardships of displacement. These include navigating life in an unfamiliar environment, which exposes them to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, and educational disruption.
The challenges faced extend far beyond shelter, as psychological assistance remains scarce.
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