A man and woman holding their young child

Will you support parents to protect their families from malnutrition?

Name: Ripple Effect
Price range: $

Donate now

We’re thrilled to share that we’ve reached our Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign target. Thank you so much to everyone who donated – your generosity is incredible.

Thanks to our Big Give champion – the Reed Foundation – and a group of generous supporters, the first £65,000 donated has been matched – doubling the impact for parents like Nahimana and Jean-Paul. While any new gifts won't be doubled, you can still donate to help raise an additional £48,000 for our Christmas Appeal – every extra donation will support more families in Burundi to thrive.

Watch our video to learn more about the challenges parents face in Burundi, and how your donation could make a difference this Christmas.

In Burundi, one in two children under five are stunted, meaning they are not growing as they should because they don’t get enough nutritious food. The country has one of the highest rates of stunting in the world. For parents like Nahimana and Jean-Paul, this meant watching their own children face the same struggle. Droughts starved their soil, heavy rain and hail destroyed their crops.

With Ripple Effect, that’s beginning to change. Families are growing more food and eating more nutritious diets that support their children’s health.

“The local food wasn’t enough, it wasn’t nutritious. We’d only eat sweet potatoes without any other vegetables as we couldn’t afford them. We only ate in the evenings. My children always complained that they didn’t get enough food.”

- Nahimana, Ripple Effect project participant, Burundi

With your support this Christmas, families like Nahimana and Jean-Paul’s could start to rebuild their food security. Your donation could help parents grow enough to eat, earn more income, and keep their children healthy through better nutrition.

Donate now

We know our approach works: in another Burundi project, 98% of children recovered from malnutrition. That’s the power of your gift.

Here’s how your donation could help parents like Nahimana and Jean-Paul feed their children:

Training in climate-smart farming techniques With your support, farming families could learn climate-smart agriculture practices - simple, practical techniques like composting, mulching, and inter-cropping that help the soil retain water and nutrients. These sustainable farming practices protect crops against drought and erosion, reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers, and lead to stronger harvests and fuller plates for their children.

Seeds held by a farmer from a Ripple Effect project

Drought-resistant seeds for diverse, nutritious crops Your donation could provide parents with drought-resistant seeds for fruits and vegetables that grow throughout the year, even as the climate changes. Families gain a more stable source of nutritious food, ensuring children grow up healthy and strong. Each harvest also produces more seeds to share with neighbours, creating a ripple of resilience across whole communities.

Kitchen gardens close to home Families could be supported to set up kitchen gardens close to home, making it easier to harvest fresh, nutritious food each day. This helps children stay healthy and gives parents more stability and support. As their gardens begin to thrive, families share seeds and simple techniques with neighbours, passing on the progress so others can grow nutritious food at home too.

Thank you for supporting families to put nutritious food on their children's plates this Christmas.

Donate now

Got questions about how the Big Give works? Read our Big Give FAQs.

Stay connected to the impact your kindness is creating:

See your impact

Stay up to date with the stories of families like Nahimana and Jean-Paul’s and see how your generosity is helping parents grow food, earn income, and build brighter futures. Sign up to our emails to see your kindness in action all year round.

Share the ripple

Spread the word and inspire others to give. Share a post on Facebook with a message like: “I just supported Ripple Effect’s Christmas Appeal to help families in Burundi grow nutritious food. Join me and make twice the impact this Christmas!”

Share Appeal on Facebook

Want to hear good news stories from Africa, get involved in fantastic fundraising and be part of exciting events? Fill out your details below and we will keep you updated by email.