A Glimpse Into Daily Life

(by Michelle Wendler)

I've been doing a weekly interview with one of the local women to find out what daily life is like here in rural Africa. Here are some things I've learned.

Sleeping: 

Most villagers have a wooden bed frame with a mat made of reeds placed on top of it. To make it softer they might put down banana leaves under the mat. The majority have blankets but not the very poor. It's been cold lately...dropping into the low6 60's and even 50's at night. I'm cold on my warm mattress and with my comforter. When I asked how they stay warm at night she said they clutch their clothes around them and are very happy when the sun rises. 

There are no cribs for infants, they co sleep with the parents. The bed is placed against the wall and the baby sleeps between the wall and the mother, with the father on the other side of the mother. The mother will create a barrier between her and the baby so when the baby wets, it doesn't get her wet. 

Eating:

Most people have two plates, one plate for the children to eat off of (at the same time), and another for the parents and very small children. But very poor families will all eat off the same plate. An interesting side note; if your father-in-law visits, the daughter-in-law cannot eat off of the same plate. But his grandson can. And the daughter-in-law is supposed to be quiet in his presence and only speak of things that are important. 

Upper class families will have a table and chairs, but lower income will sit on boxes or small wooden chairs. But poor and upper class will always have at least one chair in case a visitor comes.

The majority of the population here in rural Burundi eat two meals a day. The rich can eat 3x per day, and the very poor, usually only one time per day. Unless you are very wealthy, breakfast is only consumed by small children (under school age) and is usually a small portion of the previous night's dinner that has been set aside and kept overnight in a small container. Refrigeration is unheard of here. Most school age children go to school hungry and eat their first meal at lunch time. 

Beans + one other side (corn, salad, sweet potatoes, potatoes, bananas and rice...(rice if you are rich) is what is eaten for lunch and dinner 98% of the time. Meat will be eaten sometimes only 2-3x per year at Christmas, New Years and maybe Easter. 

Water is the main source of hydration, but it's not purified. Many kids have stomach and digestive issues because of this.

Most people can't afford things like eggs, milk, and other fruits and veggies because they cost too much. Sometimes 11 people can live under the same small roof...kids, relatives, workers etc and it would be expected to give everyone the same portion. 1 egg costs around 500 fbu and the daily wage is around 3000 for those who have a job. Many are just farmers who live off what they grow.  If you have many mouths to feed, an egg by itself isn't going to satisfy but it might break the bank. I asked about the possibility of people raising chickens for their own eggs, but that would require a chicken coup, food for the chickens, and medicine. All that on the front end...when most people can't afford the next meal. The woman I was interviewing said that if someone is given a rooster which costs around 15,000 fbu, they would most likely take it to the market to buy a lot of "filler" type food instead of having one small meal of meat. 

Hygiene:

No showers or baths around here. Sponge baths. Not everyone can afford soap. After you clean yourself you rub on palm oil. The wealthy use margarine (Blue Band) or lotion. I have been using their version of margarine (Blue Band) and my skin feels amazing. 

Marriage:

If a couple wants to get married, their family / church / neighbors / elders traditionally ask them: 

1) Do you have a blanket?

2) Do you have a pot?

3) Do you have a bed?

These three items are considered necessary for starting a marriage.

Child care:

At age 5, the kids start to carry infants (2 months and beyond) on their backs. If the parents are too poor to afford a child care helper, then the kids stay home from school to help watch the younger siblings so the parents can work in the fields.

Status:

And lastly, a sign of wealth here are shoes / flip-flops / sandals. Those who own shoes are considered upperclass. 

I hope to do more of these interviews in the future and will share what I learn about the lives of our Burundian brothers and sisters.