Association des Mamans Célibataires pour la Paix et le Développement

Association des Mamans Célibataires pour la Paix et le Développement (AMC) was founded in 2004 to end gender discrimination and the exclusion of girls and women in education and the labour market. AMC works in Burundi with girls and young women aged 13-22, with a particular focus on teenage and single mothers. The group supports access to education by working for the reintegration of young mothers in the classroom. AMC runs empowerment workshops to help rebuild self-esteem and contribute to the reduction of exploitation caused by financial dependence, poverty or exile. It provides girls and women with legal assistance, runs workshops and lectures informing them of their sexual and reproductive rights. AMC runs a mobile clinic and encourages discussions on sexual and reproductive health and methods of contraception in a language accessible to young people. The organisation also set up a distribution centre where girls aged 12-22 are provided with free sanitary towels. It also runs a free phone hotline through which it offers counselling and assistance, and runs campaigns targeting refugee camps and schools aimed at reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies. AMC has demonstrated a strong and comprehensive understanding of the issues faced by the communities it serves and its programmes reflect this. Girls are represented on the Board and in the organisation’s governance structure.