In communities across Burundi, two groups of displaced people are navigating an extraordinarily difficult reality: Congolese refugees who have fled violence and instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundian returnees coming home after years of exile.
Both groups carry deep wounds. Both groups face a common set of challenges — land conflicts, rising market prices, food insecurity, and the social tensions that emerge when communities compete for scarce resources.
At Holistic Impact Hub, we work at the heart of these communities. This is what we are seeing — and what we believe must change.
THE LAND CONFLICT CRISIS
Land is the foundation of life in Burundi. It is where families grow their food, build their homes, and root their identity. But for returning refugees and displaced persons, land access is one of the most contentious and painful challenges they face.
Burundian returnees often come home to find their land occupied — by relatives, neighbours, or strangers who moved in during their absence. Legal documentation is frequently absent, disputed, or lost. Traditional land boundaries are contested. And in a country where land is already scarce, competition is fierce.
Congolese refugees face different but equally serious challenges. Settled in camps or host communities, many live in overcrowded conditions with no land to farm and no secure place to call their own. Tensions between refugee populations and host communities can escalate quickly when resources are limited.
THE RISING COST OF LIVING
Beyond land, the rising cost of basic goods on Burundian markets is pushing both refugee and returnee families deeper into poverty and food insecurity.
The price of staple foods — beans, cassava, maize, cooking oil — has risen significantly in recent years, driven by regional instability, supply chain disruptions, currency pressures, and climate-related crop failures. For families already living on the margins, even small price increases can mean the difference between eating and going hungry.
Women and children are disproportionately affected. Mothers are forced to make impossible choices — reducing meal frequency, pulling children from school, or going into debt to feed their families.
THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES
When communities face resource scarcity, social cohesion fractures. Land disputes escalate into violence. Tensions between refugees and host communities grow. Trust breaks down. And the foundation for peaceful coexistence — already fragile in post-conflict settings — is further undermined.
Without deliberate peacebuilding and social cohesion work, these tensions can spiral into cycles of conflict that harm everyone — refugees, returnees, and long-term residents alike.
WHAT HOLISTIC IMPACT HUB IS DOING
HIH works directly with refugee, returnee, and host communities across Burundi to address these interconnected challenges. Our approach includes:
Peacebuilding and dialogue programs that bring communities together to resolve land disputes and build mutual understanding. Psychosocial support for individuals and families traumatised by displacement and conflict. Livelihoods programs that help families generate income independent of land access. Food security interventions including nutrition education, kitchen gardens, and connections to food assistance. Advocacy for the rights of refugees and returnees — ensuring their voices are heard in policy discussions that affect their lives.
A CALL FOR SOLIDARITY
The challenges facing Congolese refugees and Burundian returnees are not their fault. They are the result of decades of conflict, inequality, and failed systems. They deserve our solidarity, our advocacy, and our action.
Holistic Impact Hub is committed to standing with these communities — not just providing services, but walking alongside them as they rebuild their lives with dignity.
To support our work or partner with us, visit www.holisticimpacthub.org/partnerships
Together, we can build a Burundi where everyone — regardless of where they came from — has a place to belong.
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