Final Evaluation: Rebuilding Trust between Youth and the Police in Bujumbura Mairie, Burundi (2017)

Still recovering from generations of ethnic conflict, Burundians are faced with a political crisis and limiting democratic space. To deescalate tensions and reduce the risks of violence, Search for Common Ground (Search) implemented a 12-month project (1 January – 31 December 2017) funded by the Bosch Foundation entitled, “Duteramire Umutekano: Rebuilding the Trust Between Youth and the Police in Bujumbura Mairie” with the goal to rebuild trust among key stakeholders, and especially among youth and police forces.
The project brought together local leaders and stakeholders to bridge the misunderstandings and tension between youth and security forces in the most volatile neighborhoods of Bujumbura, selected based on the violent demonstrations during the 2015 crisis and the continuing violent clashes between the police and young community members. As such, project activities opened a space for constructive dialogue and interaction through various techniques, such as capacity-building trainings for youth and police, roundtables, solidarity, peace, and cultural events, radio programming, and participatory community theater performances.