Dr. Désiré Habonimana is a First Aid Expert and Coordinator of the Prevention and Emergency Unit in the Burundi Red Cross. He has been passionate about prevention and emergency response activities since he started as a volunteer with the organization.  

He serves in an important role, crucial to coordination of activities in the event of disasters in Burundi, including natural disasters as well as diseases such as cholera, which is rampant in certain regions of the Imbo valley. He is also a member of the Burundi Red Cross Task Force, continually setting up national response teams. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Awareness-Raising Among Fishermen in the Fight Against Cholera

The project raises awareness among fishermen of the fight against cholera. Fishermen are vulnerable to this epidemic in Burundi. This project will be carried out in Rumonge Province, which is regularly affected by this fatal disease. Workshops, anti-cholera leaflets, training, and peer education will support fishermen’s education on this critical health issue.  

So far, Désiré has created an informational leaflet, which he then used and distributed as part of the four training workshops on the fight against cholera with a total of 140 members of the fishing community. Among the experts leading the training was the Chief Medical Officer of the Rumonge Health District. The next step is that representatives from each community, nominated by their fellow participants, will lead peer education workshops in October and November. These workshops will play a crucial role in raising awareness about proper waste disposal and drinking water procurement, thereby contributing significantly to the community's health and well-being. The project will conclude by hosting interactive programs on local community radio stations, where community members can call in and get answers to their questions about cholera prevention.

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Désiré participated in the IVLP Project Global Public Health Challenges, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center, in partnership with Global Santa Fe, Global Ties Alabama, Global Ties Iowa, Global Ties Kalamazoo, World Affairs Council - Seattle, and World Partnerships, Inc.  

Désiré’s exchange experience led to the development of his project: “We visited the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and saw some important things about infectious and communicable diseases... The knowledge acquired during my stay will be put to good use in my country to tackle the major challenge of cholera, which is one of Burundi's national public health problems... In Santa Fe, New Mexico, we learned how the United States has managed to face... certain challenges such as malaria [which] made me think of this part of the fishing community, which is vulnerable to this scourge. In fact, the major cholera epidemics in Burundi originated in the fishing industry.”

U.S. Communities Visited

Birmingham, AL; Montgomery, AL; Washington, DC; Tampa, FL; Iowa City, IA; Kalamazoo, MI; Santa Fe, NM; Seattle, WA 

Country: Burundi

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