About Us

History

Village Health Action (VHA) is a non-profit organisation established in 2012. VHA’s mission is to empower, unleash people, and give back to the community by being accountable, with the vision of creating a healthier society by bringing information and interventions to the needy in a globalisation context dominated by the complexity of social determinants health.
VHA collaborates with UN missions, embassies, and other civil society organisations to raise awareness of critical health issues. VHA has over nine years of experience responding to health issues in Burundi, particularly the growing non-communicable disease and HIV response.
VHA is a member of many networks, including the Noncommunicable Disease Alliance, the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and the NCDI Poverty Network. VHA has completed many projects. This includes a multistakeholder forum to support UHC during UHC Awareness Week in 2019, HIV and harm reduction among drug users since 2016, supported by the Global Fund between 2016 and 2019, and Initiative 5%, a French government initiative run by Expertise France that began in September 2019 and will be completed in July 2024. The VHA’s role is to provide medical care to drug users, particularly those who inject drugs, through its clinic. The VHA team performs testing, treatment, and prevention through outreach communities. VHA is a sub-grantee in this project and three other partners, all of whom work to improve access to services for the marginalised community of drug users.
VHA is leading the development of a policy to eliminate trans-fat in Burundi with the help of the “Resolve to Save Lives” initiative. VHA successfully organised a multistakeholder forum in which various partners participated and committed to regulating and raising awareness about trans-fats.
Aside from harm reduction initiatives, VHA has raised drug issues since 2013 by visiting schools and communities in Bujumbura and the countryside to educate young people who are at risk of becoming addicted to drugs. As a result, we established an English medical centre initiative through VHA to encourage young people to learn English and ICTs during their vacations rather than engaging in drugs and alcohol.
Furthermore, VHA has participated in NCD awareness and screening campaigns and mental health campaigns. VHA has hosted tens of group therapy sessions for young women suffering from mental health issues, including victims of gender-based violence.
VHA is well-versed in the Burundi health system and collaborates directly with the ministry of health and other ministries to implement health initiatives. The VHA has put in place governance management and monitoring tools that are in line with international standards.