Our team
Founder & Chair
Egide Haragirimana
Egide is a medical doctor and public health specialist with five years of public health experience and two years of clinical practice. He has collaborated with stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health in Burundi, UN agencies, the US Embassy in Burundi, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to sustain health systems and deliver evidence-based interventions. He has designed and managed many health-related projects. These projects have empowered over 50,000 people, most of whom are vulnerable and live-in difficult circumstances. Egide has received numerous scholarships due to his involvement in the community, the most recent of which is the Chevening scholarship, which recognizes outstanding leaders around the world. The scholarship enabled him to pursue his master’s degree in public health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Upon completion, he returned home and established the Centre for Health Policy Analysis and Research in Burundi, a leading independent, not-for-profit global health research Think Tank, to support the design of cutting-edge research, the translation of evidence into policies, and the implementation of effective interventions. Finally, he is the chair and founder of Village Health Action, a youth-led organization, and a strategic director at the Centre Tertiaire des soins Oculaires de l’Enfant, the Burundi country’s leader in eye care and prevention.
Chief of Innovation & Finance Assistant
Irakoze pacifique
Dr Irakoze is a future emergency medicine physician studying Anesthesiology and Critical Care at Roi Khaled University Hospital.
He is the Deputy Chair of Village Health Action, an organization he joined when he started medical school in 2012. Since then, he has been involved in community service through VHA and has held various leadership positions at VHA, including Chief of Innovation and Project Liaison Officer before becoming Vice-Chair.
Dr Pacifique is passionate about global surgery. To that end, he co-founded and served as the first secretary-general of InciSioN Burundi, a global surgery network organization in Burundi of the InciSioN International Student Surgical Network. Dr Irakoze is a member of the InciSioN Network’s 2020 International Team.
He advocated universal access to health care services and co-founded a health insurance company (MUNAK) in 2020, which has provided healthcare to thousands of Burundians.
Aside from work and studies, he enjoys watching football and socializing with his friends.
He is the Deputy Chair of Village Health Action, an organization he joined when he started medical school in 2012. Since then, he has been involved in community service through VHA and has held various leadership positions at VHA, including Chief of Innovation and Project Liaison Officer before becoming Vice-Chair.
Dr Pacifique is passionate about global surgery. To that end, he co-founded and served as the first secretary-general of InciSioN Burundi, a global surgery network organization in Burundi of the InciSioN International Student Surgical Network. Dr Irakoze is a member of the InciSioN Network’s 2020 International Team.
He advocated universal access to health care services and co-founded a health insurance company (MUNAK) in 2020, which has provided healthcare to thousands of Burundians.
Aside from work and studies, he enjoys watching football and socializing with his friends.
Program manager
Irakoze Bobette
Bobette Irakoze graduated from Hope Africa University in 2016 with a degree in Nursing. From 2017 to 2020, she worked with the Burundi Red Cross, where she gained experience facilitating adherence to ARV treatment through health education for PLWHIV. She was also involved in HIV prevention, specifically the implementation of PrEP. She works as a nurse at the VHA medical centre, where he volunteers.
Bobette is a proactive nurse who cares deeply about global health. She has been an advocate for health equity and is interested in strengthening the health system, particularly non-communicable diseases. She was chosen as one of East Africa’s NCD Champions in 2017. She attended a meeting that brought together all of the region’s young NCD champions as part of the Young Professional Non-Communicable Network, YP-CDN.
Bobette is a proactive nurse who cares deeply about global health. She has been an advocate for health equity and is interested in strengthening the health system, particularly non-communicable diseases. She was chosen as one of East Africa’s NCD Champions in 2017. She attended a meeting that brought together all of the region’s young NCD champions as part of the Young Professional Non-Communicable Network, YP-CDN.
General Secretary
Blaise Migabo
Blaise is Medical Doctor, a degree earned from University of Burundi. He is a blogger and health advocate. He is more interested in research in order to curb global health issues especially NCDs-related ones including HIV. He is the General Secretary at Village Health Action, an organisation dedicated to promoting health in Burundi.
Senior Partenrship Officer
Dr Muserebanyi Cyprien
Dr Muserebanyi is the founding member and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Burundi. He is currently the fundraising associate. He was the main fundraiser for the large NCD campaign organized in his commune (Kiryama), raising over 25 million Burundian francs. Dr Muserebanyi worked as the head of the emergency department at the Burundi National Police Hospital in addition to his VHA activities.
Dr. Muserebanyi began his academic career after receiving his doctorate in general medicine from the University of Burundi in 2017. He taught medical sciences and supervised interns in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Great Lakes (UGL) and the Lumière University of Bujumbura (ULBU).
Dr. Muserebanyi has been pursuing a Master of Science in transfusional medicine at Université catholique de Louvain since 2020.
Dr Raissa Sonerabose
Raissa is a medical doctor with a degree from NGOZI University. She is passionate about public health and has served as the deputy chair of the CVS Health Vision Club, bringing together all medical students at the University of Ngozi.
She is currently a member of the Burundian Society of Cardiology (SBC). She works as a medical doctor at VHA Medical Center, where he has received training in harm reduction for drug users.
Her motto is to stay positive, dream big, work hard, and remain humble.
Administration officer
Andre Papy Karubi
Currently serves on the VHA’s supervisory board. Kalubi is a trained physiotherapist who also addresses major global health issues. He is the founder of Kale-B, the first hearing health centre in Burundi. He collaborates with the Ministry of Health and Control of AIDS, the World Health Organization, and the Starkey Foundation through this initiative. Through this initiative, he organized the Starkey Foundation’s first mission to Burundi, where 400 patients were tested for hearing and received hearing aids through this community-based Hearing Healthcare Model. He has also sent three physiotherapists to study in Zambia while treating patients at his clinic.
Founder &Chief of operating officer
Yves Habonimana
Dr. Yves is a Doctor of Medicine graduate of the University of Burundi. He is a VHA founding member and the Director of Partnerships. From 2012 to 2019, he was involved in diabetes awareness activities in rural areas such as Kiryama and Mugamba. Between 2016 and 2019, he also served as the outreach coordinator for the first phase of the harm reduction project. Dr. Yves works to improve people’s lives and aspires to be a FIFA sports doctor. He has also taught at several private universities and guided students in their research.
Dieudonné Nsengiyumva
Dr Nsengiyumva is a medical doctor and the supervisory board’s vice president. He is a founding member who has helped build the organization since 2012 by organizing campaigns. He is currently employed by the Ministry of Health and Control AIDS in the public health emergencies department, where he is on the frontlines providing the covid-19 response. Dr Nsengiyumva has been trained in humanitarian emergencies and pandemic preparedness in addition to his medical degree.
Bienvenue Carelle Irakoze
Carelle graduated from the University of Burundi with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in economics from Kenya. As the accountant, she has been with VHA for many years and was involved in the VHA “HIV and harm reduction” project.
Carelle joined the VHA executive board and now serves as the VHA treasurer due to her leadership.
Carelle joined the VHA executive board and now serves as the VHA treasurer due to her leadership.
Inès Ishimwe
Inès Ishimwe received her bachelor’s degree in economics and management from the University of Burundi’s department of political economy, option public economy and planning. She is currently enrolled in the same university’s master’s program in economic analysis and development.
She is interested in the economy and entrepreneurship and is a member of several associations and clubs in these fields. She was the vice-president of an economic news club at the University of Burundi, the president of the “Hardis” association of young entrepreneurs, and the founder of Neiss Fashion, a company specializing in fashion and the production of earrings.
She was a program manager at Bujahub, a coaching firm for young entrepreneurs. She is a Laureate of the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa’s cohort 38 in civic leadership.
She recently won first place in a young entrepreneur competition organized by the French embassy, collaborating with the AUF, “Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie.”
Delphine Ndacayisaba
Delphine is a clinical psychologist by training. She has a track record of success in this field. Before joining VHA, she worked in public health facilities and non-governmental organizations.
She also completed additional psychology training, such as psycho-social assistance in prisons, schools, and retirement homes. She gained experience in social psychology working with the Bethany retirement home in Bujumbura. She has participated in volunteer activities with a drug-addiction organization and has received training in the psycho-social care of drug users.
Welfare Officer Assistant
Alice Niyomukiza
Alice has a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Great Lakes University (UGL) and has worked as a lab nurse.
She has been a Community Mobiliser with VHA since 2016 in the “HIV and harm reduction” project, where she has been involved in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, whether it is transmission or prevention. These awareness-raising activities also included sessions on liver diseases, specifically B and C hepatitis, and their prevention among drug users.
She also volunteered for the GLID (Great Lakes Inkingi Development) project « MWIGEME KEREBUKA URABISHOBOYE », where she mentors young girls living with HIV/AIDS.
She is particularly interested in improving people’s lives from immunosuppressive diseases and chronic pathologies.
Alice is courteous and dynamic. She enjoys learning and acquiring new knowledge; she adapts quickly and enjoys working in a team.
She has been a Community Mobiliser with VHA since 2016 in the “HIV and harm reduction” project, where she has been involved in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, whether it is transmission or prevention. These awareness-raising activities also included sessions on liver diseases, specifically B and C hepatitis, and their prevention among drug users.
She also volunteered for the GLID (Great Lakes Inkingi Development) project « MWIGEME KEREBUKA URABISHOBOYE », where she mentors young girls living with HIV/AIDS.
She is particularly interested in improving people’s lives from immunosuppressive diseases and chronic pathologies.
Alice is courteous and dynamic. She enjoys learning and acquiring new knowledge; she adapts quickly and enjoys working in a team.
Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Office
NSABE Faustin, MD
Dr Nsabe is the VHA’s supervisory board director. He is a Doctor of Medicine with extensive experience in global health project management. He has conducted research, managed projects, and provided expertise to organizations in Burundi and the East African region, such as ABUBEF, ANSS, and International Medical Corps, from 2015 to the present.
His core competencies include:
• Managing health projects in general and reproductive health projects in particular.
• Documenting the impact of project implementation on beneficiaries’ expectations and demands.
• Organizing teamwork to achieve the desired results.
His work also includes providing Family Planning Services through community-based distribution, capacity building, and improving the quality of care in health facilities through adapted approaches, collaboration with the Burundian health system at both the central and peripheral operational levels, and the development of proposals based on calls for proposals or the establishment of a competitive project bank; general medical and surgical care; and comprehensive care for AIDS patients.
African region, such as ABUBEF, ANSS, and International Medical Corps.
His core competencies include:
• Managing health projects in general and reproductive health projects in particular.
• Documenting the impact of project implementation on beneficiaries’ expectations and demands.
• Organizing teamwork to achieve the desired results.
His work also includes providing Family Planning Services through community-based distribution, capacity building, and improving the quality of care in health facilities through adapted approaches, collaboration with the Burundian health system at both the central and peripheral operational levels, and the development of proposals based on calls for proposals or the establishment of a competitive project bank; general medical and surgical care; and comprehensive care for AIDS patients.
African region, such as ABUBEF, ANSS, and International Medical Corps.