Coming home, starting again: Former Burundian refugees return home to rebuild their future

Every week, hundreds of Burundian refugees cross the border back into Burundi on their journey home. For many, the trip closes a long chapter of displacement that began in 2015, having been forced to flee their homes due to conflict and seeking safety in neighbouring countries. Coming back home opens an equally important chapter: rebuilding life after return.

Jeanne Niyonzima, 41, is one of them. Originally from Gatumba, on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), she fled Burundi in 2015 with her husband and their three children. The family found refuge near Lusenda refugee camp in the DRC and stayed there for over a decade. Today, Jeanne has returned with her children and one overriding hope: that they can go to school and build a better future.

“I am back with my three children. The oldest is nine years old. I hope they will be able to attend school,” said Jeanne, looking at her children.

Hope after years of hardship

Life in the DRC had become increasingly difficult for Jeanne. In an insecure environment, declining humanitarian assistance and little income of their own following the death of her husband, meeting the needs of three children on her own became a daily struggle.

Jeanne and her family had been welcomed by Congolese neighbours outside the refugee camp. They searched for food and fetched water to meet basic needs, but the recent crisis made even these daily essentials harder to secure.

“Before the recent crisis, we used to go searching for food and fetching water. But it had become difficult these last days,” she explained.

Her return, however, is already filled with plans. Upon arrival in Burundi, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, provided Jeanne with cash to help cover immediate needs and the journey to settling down. She also hopes to buy a small plot of land, build a home and start a small business. Raising goats or poultry and selling groundnuts are among the options she is considering to provide for her family.

Returning is only the first step

Crossing the border home is not the end of the journey. For return to become a durable solution, returnee families need housing, access to education and healthcare, livelihoods and the opportunity to rebuild their lives within their communities.

“Repatriation of Burundian refugees is one of our priorities. With the unwavering support of our donors, including the European Union, ECHO and KOICA, to whom I extend my sincere appreciation, we are working to make return a truly durable solution, enabling families to rebuild their lives in dignity,” said Brigitte Mukanga Eno, UNHCR's Representative in Burundi.

UNHCR provides cash grants to help returnees meet their immediate needs. Families who need housing support can also receive shelter materials, while livelihood and income-generating assistance helps them rebuild sustainable sources of income.

Support also extends to essential services. In areas receiving significant numbers of returnees, UNHCR helps strengthen education and healthcare, including constructing classrooms and support for access to health services.

Since 2017, UNHCR has assisted more than 370,000 Burundian refugees to return home and reintegrate in their local communities. Most have returned from Tanzania, while others have returned from DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi and South Africa.

Yet behind that figure are thousands of individual journeys like Jeanne’s: families returning with losses and uncertainties, but also with plans for the future. Their stories are a reminder that crossing a border is not the end of displacement. A successful return means being able to find a home, regain self-reliance and look ahead with confidence.

With continued support from partners and donors, UNHCR is working to ensure that return becomes, for every family, a dignified and sustainable new beginning.