Saint Louis de Gonzague is a Jesuit-founded school located on the hilly outskirts of Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi (south of Rwanda). Established in 2004, the school was built to serve underprivileged children in the Bujumbura province—many of whom continue to feel the lasting effects of the country’s civil war in the late 1900s. What began as a small initiative with just three classrooms has grown into a vital educational resource for over 1,100 students in elementary and middle school.

Although the school has grown significantly, it continues to face significant limitations in infrastructure and resources. Until recently, there were only 19 classrooms to accommodate all students. However, in April 2024, severe rains caused structural damage to one of the main classroom blocks, which was already affected by a deep, long crack running through the entire school. This resulted in the demolition of eight classrooms and reduced the school’s functional space to 11 rooms.

This Jesuits from Rwanda-Burundi province finally decided to relocate the school to safer grounds. After relevant ground tests, it was decided to relocate the school to a new site, about two kilometres away from the old site. All students moved to the new site at the beginning of the 2026 academic year, starting with the second term in two newly built blocks of six classrooms each. However, with 12 classrooms, students continue to study in rotation from mornings to afternoons (we have now 1133 students).

Even in the face of the school challenges, the school’s administrator, Fr. Vedaste Nkeshimana, SJ, remains focused on improving learning conditions and supporting every staff member to help students thrive. Saint Louis de Gonzague continues to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for children in one of the region’s most underserved communities, nurturing the next generation through education, resilience, and faith.