ITERAMBERE*
Households where menstrual dignity can thrive.
When women are informed, healthy and economically empowered, menstrual dignity can thrive at home, and throughout the community.
*Progress (Kirundi)
We help women build healthier, more resilient futures for themselves and their families. Inspired by BRAC’s Graduation Approach and adapted to the realities of Burundi, Iterambere combines health education, income-generation, healthcare referrals, and household sanitation improvements to address the interconnected challenges that contribute to period poverty.
Through this support, women become better equipped to support themselves, their daughters, and their families.
THE CHALLENGE
When women face barriers, families feel the impact.
Across Burundi, women work tirelessly to support their families. The nickname "Maboko igihumbi" even suggests that women have 1,000 arms. Yet, many face barriers that make it difficult to consistently meet their personal and families’ health, education, and menstrual health needs.
80% cannot regularly afford sanitary pads.
When household resources are limited, managing menstruation often becomes one more difficult choice among many competing priorities.
31.6% still rely on improvised materials such as rags, paper, or dry leaves to manage their periods.
Menstruation remains surrounded by myths and taboos that can affect how women manage it, see themselves, participate in daily life, and seek healthcare when they need it. In many communities, menstruation is still considered dirty or impure, leading some women to avoid certain activities or isolate themselves during their periods.
Only 39% of Burundian households have facilities that meet basic national sanitation standards.
Managing menstruation with dignity is difficult without access to safe, private, and hygienic sanitation facilities.
OUR SOLUTION
Empowering women through knowledge, health and opportunity
We combine health education, healthcare access, sanitation improvements, income generation, and livelihood support to help women build healthier, more resilient futures for themselves and their families.
Women participate in community-based learning sessions covering menstruation, reproductive health, family planning, hygiene, nutrition, and other topics that affect their wellbeing. Through discussion, peer support, and myth-busting, participants gain practical knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.
Women join Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), where they save money, access small loans, and support one another in achieving personal and family goals. Beyond financial services, these groups create spaces for learning, accountability, and collective problem-solving.
Through partnerships with local clinics and health centres, women learn when and where to seek professional care. Participants are also connected to free family planning products and services, helping remove financial barriers to reproductive healthcare. By connecting women directly to trusted healthcare providers, we help ensure that information leads to real access to care.
Women learn practical ways to improve household hygiene and sanitation, creating healthier environments for themselves and their families. Depending on household needs, this may include improvements to latrines, handwashing stations, and other essential sanitation infrastructure.
Women receive support to launch or strengthen small businesses and other income-generating activities. Whether through agriculture, livestock, tailoring, retail, or other local enterprises, these opportunities help women increase household income and build greater financial security.
Women learn practical permaculture techniques to establish and maintain household kitchen gardens, helping families grow nutritious foods at home. These gardens improve access to healthy diets, reduce household food expenses, and contribute to the wellbeing of women and children alike.
"Before joining the group, life was very difficult. I often didn’t have enough money to meet my household needs. But today, I'm grateful. We save together, support one another with loans, do projects together, and take care of our families. We have food to eat, our health has improved, and even our menstrual hygiene is better because we learned how to use Agateka pads."
Nathalie
Program participant in Tangara
8,083
participants' small businesses have been launched with program support
43%
participants' households have two or more sources of income
82%
program participants take part in family financial decision-making
IMPACT
When women thrive, so do their families.
92%
program participants consistently use appropriate menstrual products
64%
program participants have health insurance coverage
82%
participants' households have latrines that meet national health standards
Change becomes more sustainable when entire households and communities are transformed. The women we work with are more likely to access healthcare, improve their household sanitation, generate income, and make informed decisions about their health and future. As women thrive, families become healthier, more resilient, and better equipped to support the next generation.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?