Unaccompanied Children at the Border
Save the Children is reporting a sharp increase in unaccompanied and separated children arriving in Burundi as violence escalates in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Among the estimated 35,000 refugees who have crossed the border in recent weeks—the largest influx in 25 years—most are women and children, according to the United Nations.
Protection staff say many children are arriving hungry, exhausted, and deeply traumatized after fleeing violence, with some injured or having lost parents and loved ones along the way.
Rising Numbers of Unaccompanied and Separated Children
Save the Children has documented at least 76 cases of children who became separated from their families during the chaos of displacement. Of these, 43 were identified at the Rugombo transit center and 33 at the Gihanga transit center. Some children were orphaned by violence, while others crossed the border alone.
While many children have since been reunified with family members, significant numbers remain separated or have yet to be formally identified as unaccompanied—leaving them at heightened risk in overcrowded transit camps.
Deadly Conditions in Transit Camps
At least four children have died shortly after arriving in Burundi due to illness, Save the Children said. Squalid conditions, overcrowding, and a lack of medical supplies in transit camps are leaving children extremely vulnerable to disease and death.
Children arriving without caregivers face particularly grave risks, as they lack the protection and care families typically provide in emergency situations.
Heightened Risks for Children Without Caregivers
Unaccompanied and separated children face increased risks of abduction, trafficking, exploitation, and physical violence, especially when living in unsafe or inappropriate care arrangements or with adults outside their family.
Research consistently shows that orphaned and unaccompanied children are more likely to experience abuse and are among the least likely to report it to authorities due to fear, trauma, or lack of access to support systems.
“We are particularly concerned about the children who are arriving without parents or caregivers. Separation in a crisis like this is highly distressing and can have long-term impacts on a child’s well-being. Children who lose their families in emergencies lose care and protection at the moment they need it most.”
Urgent Funding Needed to Protect Children
Save the Children is gravely concerned for children arriving alone and is urgently calling for additional funding to provide food, shelter, hygiene and sanitation services, child protection, and emergency healthcare. According to the UNHCR, more than 35,000 people have entered Burundi since early February 2025, fleeing a dramatic escalation in violence in eastern DRC. Many of the new arrivals are children in desperate need of protection and basic services.
Voices From the Response
Maggie Korde, Save the Children Country Director in Rwanda and Burundi, said:
“We have seen a major uptick in children and their families crossing the border into Burundi in recent days, with many children arriving hungry, exhausted and traumatized. All have been forced to flee for their lives. Many have witnessed violence. Some have been injured or lost parents and loved ones.
“We are particularly concerned about the children who are arriving without parents or caregivers. Separation in a crisis like this is highly distressing and can have long-term impacts on a child’s well-being. Children who lose their families in emergencies lose care and protection at the moment they need it most.”
She added that Burundi’s humanitarian response remains critically underfunded, making additional donor support essential to reach the most vulnerable.
Save the Children’s Work in Burundi and the DRC
Save the Children has been working in Burundi since 2016, providing child protection services, gender-based violence prevention and response, healthcare, education, and child rights governance. The organization is working alongside the Government of Burundi, UNHCR, and partner agencies to support newly arrived children and families, including registering unaccompanied and separated children. Teams on the ground are delivering protection services and distributing dignity kits and child play kits.
In the DRC, Save the Children has worked since 1994 to respond to humanitarian needs driven by armed conflict and displacement. Current efforts include strengthening community protection systems, training local leaders to prevent exploitation and abuse, delivering healthcare through mobile clinics, and supporting children’s access to education through classroom construction, teacher training, and learning material distribution.
Updated: February 2025