“When I think about KIA, I get three words in my mind; inspiring, resourceful and impactful…. Most of the time, it is hard for young people in Burundi to believe in themselves and, most importantly, to push themselves out of their comfort zones. This may sound like a cliché, but for me, the truth is that out of the comfort zone, that is when we young people improve our skills and train ourselves to take huge risks while trying to achieve hard things…. Instead of waiting for opportunities to come in their way, KIA students will be initiated into the world where they will be the change that they need to see in their communities.”
– Kevin Lionel Ndizaniye Mpundu, KIA Youth Advisory Board
About Kigutu International Academy (KIA)
Developing a new generation of problem-solvers, change-makers and
entrepreneurial leaders for Burundi and beyond.
Student Experience
Learn about the student experience, from curriculum and instruction to student activities
Location and Facilities
Learn about our beautiful mountain setting and the newly completed Learning Center and renovated McKenna Hall
About Village Health Works
KIA is an initiative of Village Health Works and a beacon mirroring the organization's mission
School Profile
Academic curriculum and grading information, extracurriculars, and entering into college
Student Experience
KIA’s diverse student body and international faculty have created a community that values creativity, curiosity and critical thinking. Drawing on instructional strategies from some of the best schools in the world, the KIA learning experience is active and engaging.
Skills for the Future
A hallmark of the Academy is its innovative curriculum, which emphasizes outstanding preparation in core academic subjects as well as building critical 21st century skills. Students gain the skills needed to lead in a complex and changing world: team-work, communication and critical thinking. KIA students gain practical experience as entrepreneurs by launching enterprises in agriculture, the arts, and more.
The Knowledge to Lead
English is the primary language of instruction at KIA. Students also learn French language skills which they will need as young leaders in Burundi. The curriculum emphasizes math and science as well as arts and culture. Students have access to modern science labs and computer technology. While KIA’s curriculum is innovative, it also provides parallels to Burundi’s national curriculum standards.
Learning Brought to Life
Instead of rote classroom learning, KIA uses project-based and experiential learning using the Village Health Works campus and surrounding community for powerful, real-world learning. Imagine experiencing physics at the VHW hydropower plant, applying chemistry principles in the VHW sciences lab, learning about environmental science at Lake Tanganyika and understanding data with VHW’s Monitoring and Evaluation team.
Living in a Vibrant Community
KIA is a nurturing and vibrant place that reflects the school’s values of resilience, compassion, service and excellence. The small founding class at KIA has created clubs, teams and school traditions to help foster the unique culture and sense of community at KIA.
Students who enter KIA will typically have completed Grade 9. They will spend their first year focused on intensive instruction in English and entrepreneurial leadership. This “immersion year” will provide the foundation for students to thrive during their remaining three years at KIA, taking full advantage of the Academy’s unique curriculum, active learning model and English-speaking environment.
Pathways to University and Beyond
The Academy’s 4-year program will prepare students to lead locally and compete with the best in the world, providing pathways to universities in Africa and beyond, as well as to employment. Students will receive college and university counseling throughout their time at KIA. After they graduate, students will continue to receive mentoring, including support for summer internships and career guidance.
Location and Facilities
Location
Located in the heart of the Great Lakes Region of East Africa, Burundi has a population of 11 million people. Burundi is a country of youth, with a median age of just 17. The Kigutu International Academy aims to equip its students with the skills and competencies required to reach their full potential, particularly as entrepreneurs - as well as provide professional development to educators from across Burundi and the region.
KIA is located on the expansive campus of Village Health Works. About 100 km south of Bujumbura, the Academy is nestled in lush mountains and overlooks beautiful Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake in the world which holds 16% of the world's available fresh water.
Facilities
Construction on KIA’s future home, the Learning Center, and the Teachers’ House began in 2021 and is now completed.
The Learning Center is also the home of the Teacher Training Program and can accommodate over 200 students. It offers more space to accommodate students of the staff who live with their children in Kigutu, away from home. The Learning Center has new classrooms, an art studio, two additional dormitories, a recreational and cultural center, a science lab, a computer lab, a dining hall with balanced and nutritious meals, a kitchen, offices, and a conference room. The Teachers’ House has the capacity to host 16 teachers. These newly built facilities are a huge upgrade that will attract and retain talent by making students, faculty, and staff feel they work in a uniquely dignified environment.
The newly built KIA Learning Center, also home to the Teacher Training Program
The lush gardens on the KIA Campus
KIA students, teachers, and Deo Niyizonkiza, Founder and CEO of Village Health Works, in the newly finished Assembly Hall - January 6, 2023
The Administration Hall
Herb and vegetable garden on Campus
McKenna Hall
KIA was launched in McKenna Hall, which has been recently renovated to include separate dormitory wings for girls and boys, and spaces for learning, dining, studying, and relaxation.
About Village Health Works
CEO and Founder Deo speaking to members of our community.
Mission and History:
VHW’s mission is to provide quality, compassionate health care in a dignified environment while also addressing the root causes of illness, poverty, violence, and neglect. We believe that health care and education are inextricably linked as drivers of human development.
In 2007 we opened a 50-bed health center to confront the many health challenges faced by our community. Today, the clinic is open 24/7 and last year (2018) we had 45,000 consultations for a service area of 200,000 people, including for prenatal care, malnutrition, malaria, and HIV/AIDS. All our work is based on a connection with our community, which has donated land and continues to provide countless hours of volunteer work.
Through our holistic model, VHW trains teachers, supports farming co-ops, and sustains community cooperative programs providing economic opportunities amongst great need.
Today, the VHW team is over 500 employees.
Programs:
Through our community engagement work we seek to preserve traditional cultural expressions - such as drumming.
Healthcare
Healthcare is at the center of everything we do. Every day we advance hope, dignity, and prosperity through health.
Economic Development
Through the Economic Development program we empower community members to participate in the local economy in order to alleviate the health burdens of poverty.
Agriculture & Nutrition
Our work in the area of Agriculture and Nutrition provides healthy food for our patients, educates the community on farming practices, and empowers people to nourish their bodies via a diverse diet.
Education
Our Education work beyond KIA improves the quality of teaching and learning in Kigutu through critical support services to students, teacher training in innovative practice, and upgraded education infrastructure to help our young people reach their full potential.
Community Engagement
Our Community Engagement is not only the link through which we establish trust and develop solidarity with local community members, but is the very vessel through which we deliver — and transform — every element of our programming from health to education to agriculture and economic development.
Recently Completed:
The Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion
The Kigutu Hospital and Women’s Health Pavilion opened on June 22, 2023. Containing 150-beds, the 85,000-square-foot teaching hospital provides dignified, patient-centered medical services with facilities that include four general operating theaters, a maternity wing with eight private delivery rooms, and neonatal and adult intensive care units. These capabilities will transform the availability of advanced medical services throughout Burundi.
To learn more about Village Health Works, visit www.villagehealthworks.org.