The Pig Program in Burundi is known as “Ndashoboye,” which translates to “I am able.”

A piglet and a tiny black pig sleeping in a bed of straw inside a wooden pen, with onlookers visible behind the fencing.

When we looked at the communities around our schools, we discovered that many families had no trades, leading to low self-esteem. The Pig Program brings hope and encouragement to those who have no means to support themselves. We selected 60 families, trained them, and partnered them with a veterinarian. The Government of Burundi provided lumber for pig pens, we provided nails, and we supplied the pigs. Participants are responsible for feeding and caring for the pigs, and to make this task manageable, we pair two families with one pig. They share both the consumption and sale of the pork.

Our Pig Program Transforms Lives

It’s About More than Pork

This is about sharing that, with the power of God, everything is possible. The living God is with them every step of their lives.

A Multifaceted Approach To Transformation:

A group of people, including women and children, seated inside a brick-walled room with a large window, attending a community meeting or workshop with a banner that says "Evon's Hope".

Our participants in the Pig Program attend intensive classes, learning everything about pig nutrition, care, and breeding. They are also partnered with a veterinarian throughout the program to ensure the pigs receive proper care.

Pig Care

A farmland with young plants growing in rows on the reddish soil, some trees in the background, and a cloudy sky.

Every family in Burundi has a small plot of land around their home that they use for farming. Typically, farming is done in a scattered way, but by teaching row farming, we help families maximize their land efficiently. We also make sure to teach our participants how to create compost from pig waste, ensuring that every advantage of the Pig Program is fully utilized.

Composting & Row Farming Skills

Three individuals standing inside a rustic room with large sacks and a red door behind them. The man on the left is wearing a checkered shirt and jeans; the woman in the middle is wearing a floral dress with a headscarf, and the woman on the right is wearing a dark top and a patterned skirt with a headscarf.

By teaching composting and row farming, we have given these families the opportunity to significantly increase their crop production. Now, these families not only have pigs to raise and sell, but they also have a surplus of crops to trade.

Larger Crop Production

During our interviews with participants, we met a courageous woman raising four children on her own after her husband left. Suddenly, she was faced with overwhelming social and economic hardships. The Pig Program, built on partnership and community, gave her a chance to reconnect with those around her. Through it, she found not only a way to provide for her family but also the care, support, and encouragement she needed to heal emotionally and thrive.

“The pig program taught me how to work with others again.”

A group of people smiling outdoors, with one woman in the foreground wearing a colorful patterned shirt and a woman in the background wearing glasses and a green and white shirt, all standing closely together.