Foster families support Burundi’s lost girls

This photo series shows how girls who have become orphaned or separated from their families while fleeing the conflict in Burundi are being kept safe by foster families in Tanzanian refugee camps.

Since the Burundian civil war began in 2015, more than 250,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries such as Tanzania. Many are unaccompanied girls who have been orphaned or become separated from their parents during their journeys to safety.

I feel very secure under the care of my foster parent. She treats me like her own child

Adolescent girls, especially those who are unaccompanied, face some of the greatest risks during emergencies including violence, child marriage, teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

Plan International works in 3 refugee camps in Northwest Tanzania to connect the unaccompanied girls with foster families who take care of them. We are also working to trace the girls’ parents and reunite families where possible.

In the slideshow below, girls from Burundi share their experiences of living in Tanzanian refugee camps.