FVS-AMADE was created by two sisters, Spès Nihangaza and Caritas Habonimana. Together, the two are an incomparable force when it comes to the protection and care of orphans and other vulnerable children in Burundi. For more information about the founders, please feel free to consult their biographies below.
Our Founders
Mrs. Spès Nihangaza is the Co-Founder of FVS-AMADE and has also been its Legal Representative since the organization's inception in 1992. A native to Rusama, a small rural town in the Province of Bururi, she has 4 children, but is often referred to as "the mom of 36,000 children." She works daily to protect children's rights and improve the economic autonomy of vulnerable households for the ultimate well-being of children. Spès Nihangaza holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry that she obtained in Algeria, but it's in social work she found her true calling.
Spès Nihangaza is considered as the primary actor in development for the well-being of children in Burundi. She has received the following awards and honors:
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2010- Vice Laureate of the International Woman's Award, given by the Vallée d’Aosta in Italie for empowering those in poverty to establish livings for themselves to break their dependence on aid.
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2010- Award for Reconciliation, awarded by the SER Foundation in Germany for the project "Welcome My Child" on family reintegration for natural-born children of war veterans.
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2011 et 2013- Recognition among the 50 most influential individuals advancing Burundi in the newspaper « IWACU ».
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2013-Award for the Best Actor in Burundian Civil Society, awarded by the Forum des Organisations de la Société Civile Burundaise (FORSC) for her program promoting the education of vulnerable children.
Spès Nihangaza also serves on the Board of Directors for both the Principality of Monaco in Burundi and AMADE Mondiale (The Worldwide Friends of Children Association). During her free time, Spès Nihangaza enjoys walking, swimming, and reading. She hates a job poorly done, idleness and injustice. Her greatest pride comes from seeing children supported by the association grow into successful young adults.
Spès Nihangaza: Co-Founder and Legal Representative
Caritas Habonimana: Co-Founder and
Deputy of the Legal Representative
s.nihangaza@fvs-amade.org
+257 22 21 46 21
caritashabonimana@yahoo.fr
+257 76 74 44 73
The other half of the powerhouse behind the organization, Mrs. Caritas Habonimana is the Co-Founder and Deputy of the Legal Representative of FVS-AMADE. Trained in nursing in Gitega, Caritas Habonimana worked as a nurse before creating FVS-AMADE. It was while working at Clinic Prince Louis Ragaswore, the oldest hospital in Bujumbura, for 6 years as the Head Pediatrics Nurse that she was first inspired. During her time there, she struggled with asking parents, who often couldn’t afford it, to pay for services before their children were even treated. This practice made her uncomfortable, and instead of demanding money from the parents she would frequently call her family members to see if they could cover the costs.
A social entrepreneur at heart, Caritas Habonimana left the clinic to create her own Private Medical Center in Bujumbura. At her center, she would use the fees from those who could afford to pay to subsidize the costs for those who struggled. She finally felt that she was able to care for sick and mistreated children. During the couple of years that the center was open, several women dying from AIDS and no money to their names approached Caritas Habonimana asking her to care for their children after they passed away. Touched, Caritas Habonimana called her sister to find a solution which marked the start of FVS-AMADE.
Caritas Habonimana loves working alongside her younger sister on a daily basis. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, sports, church, and spending time with the orphans. She is married and a proud mother of 4 and grandmother of 3. Her hope for the future is that the organization continues to support many children and enable many households to become self-sufficient. She believes that every child deserves an opportunity to go to school, to receive medical care, and to have their rights protected. Both inside and outside the office, she is known for always making sure that everyone around her is taken care of and in good health.
