Lives interrupted: refuge, illness and resilience in Burundi
With support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), UNICEF stands alongside refugee and Burundian families affected by Mpox, from stigma and hardship to healing and hope.
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Every day, families across Burundi and those fleeing conflict in neighboring countries face multiple challenges, from displacement to public health emergencies like Mpox. Through the lens of these photos, we witness both the struggles and the resilience of families, and the role of UNICEF and partners in bringing care, dignity, and hope.
A mother shows doctors the signs her young child is presenting by lifting the child’s clothes. This mother and her young child are waiting for their test results in the red zone of the Mpox treatment center, set up by UNICEF and installed at Kayanza Hospital.
Patients wait for their test results in the red zone of the Mpox treatment center, set up by UNICEF and installed at Kayanza Hospital.
A health worker at the Mpox treatment center, fully dressed in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including suits, gloves, masks and goggles, disinfects the outside of the red zone of the Mpox treatment center, set up by UNICEF and installed at Kayanza Hospital.
A health worker at the Mpox treatment center, fully dressed in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including suits, gloves, masks, and goggles, disinfects the outside of the red zone of the Mpox treatment center, set up by UNICEF and installed at Kayanza Hospital, where UNICEF also installed mobile latrines to support hygiene and sanitation efforts.
Voices of affected families
Manirambona Spéciose, 33, sits with her baby Igiraneza Marie Ange (who had tested positive for Mpox) on her lap next to her husband Emmanuel, surrounded by their three other children. They recount how their entire family was stigmatized by the community after their return from the Mpox treatment center installed at Kayanza Hospital.
Remera hill, Muruta commune, Kayanza Province, Burundi.
Souavis Kwizerimana, mother of three, tested positive for Mpox at the same time as her son Enock Nduwimana. Sitting in front of her house, holding her baby in her arms, she recounts how her entire family was stigmatized by the community after their return from the Mpox treatment center installed at Kayanza Hospital.
Remera hill, Muruta commune, Kayanza Province, Burundi.
Gloriose Niyibitanga, carrying her child Dorine Irishura , poses for a photo at the entrance to her house. Gloriose tested positive for Mpox after trying to help her sister, the first to show signs of the disease. Shortly after, Gloriose herself developed symptoms and then unknowingly transmitted the virus to her baby Dorine. Today, both are fully recovered, and she recounts how her entire family was stigmatized by the community after their return from the Mpox treatment center installed at Kayanza Hospital.
Remera hill, Muruta commune, Kayanza Province, Burundi. April 10, 2025.
A glimpse of hope
Colorful play equipment in the play area set up by UNICEF at the Mpox treatment center installed at Kayanza Hospital.
Kayanza commune, Kayanza Province, Burundi. April 10, 2025.
Behind each number and statistic, there are real families, stories of resilience, and children who deserve a healthy and safe future. With the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), UNICEF, together with the Government of Burundi and partners, continues to provide life-saving care and dignity to those most in need.
