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What is Rema?
Rema’s vision is to serve God among Burundians. They are actively involved in the care and education of Burundian refugees, returnees and disadvantaged people through evangelism, discipleship, HIV/ AIDS education and care, peace building, reconciliation, reconstruction, trauma healing and repatriation.
Rema Ministries was founded by Francois Nitunga, a pastor and evangelist. The team is now led by Felibien. All of the Rema Ministries team have been personally affected by the conflict in Burundi in 1994. They worked from Nairobi in Kenya until 2006 when, with increasing peace, Rema was able to relocate to Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi.
Rema has built a clinic in the Rutana district of Burundi to help care for people who are not able to afford treatment in the country’s hospitals, as well as refugees returning to Burundi in need of medical help.
In December 2006 Rema took a group of pastors from a refugee settlement back to Burundi to see for themselves how refugees could reintegrate into Burundi society.
“I sincerely thank the Lord who safely brought me from Ulyankulu camp to my homeland... I fled when I was 12 years old. I realised that peace is prevailing and the situation is becoming more stable...During this visit I have experienced some of the challenges that we are likely to face when we come back to our home country according to what Rema has taught us. We are now ready to face them since we are aware.”
Rev. Pastor Nyandwi Mikasi
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About Burundi
Burundi is one of the world's poorest nations and is now rebuilding following civil war since 1972.
Burundi has an estimated population of around 8 million, approximately half of whom are aged 14 or less. The effects of AIDS and cival war has had a significant effect on the demographics of the country.
There is now peace since elections in 2005, but the country still faces the formidable challenges of reviving a shattered economy and of forging national unity with up to 500,000 refugees returning from camps in Tanzania and Kenya.
More about Burundi |
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What does ‘Rema’ mean?
Rema is a Kirundi word which means to console, comfort, encourage, strengthen, to build up, support and give hope to people who have suffered misfortune and catastrophes such as deaths, civil wars, HIV/ AIDS, earthquakes, etc.
Rema Ministries is a non-denominational Christian non-government organisation (NGO) that brings ‘rema’ to refugees and other disadvantaged people from and in Burundi
Find out about how Rema UK is supporting Rema Ministries.
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