Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sister Connection located?
Sister Connection, with a combined staff of 46 people, serves widows and orphans in Burundi, a small country located in east Africa. Sister Connection’s worldwide headquarters are located in Wenatchee, WA, USA. There are three offices in Burundi. The central office is in Bujumbura, and two field offices—one in Gitega and one in Ngozi. In 2025, Sister Connection opened a 5th office, located in Melbourne, Australia.
Why are there so many widows in Burundi?
Following nearly 30 years of civil unrest, countless numbers of women and children were left destitute, searching to survive in a culture that despised them. In a culture where property is transferred from fathers to sons, the death of a husband left widows vulnerable to their late husband’s brothers, who would claim the land and homes as their own.
Why do widows need to have homes built for them?
Loss of Property Rights: Property is typically transferred from fathers to sons, leaving widows vulnerable when their husbands pass away. Frequently, the late husband’s brothers will claim the land and the home as their own, leaving the widow and her children homeless and without resources.
Social Marginalization: Following the death of a husband, widows may be considered “worthless” in the culture and are often left destitute.
Unsafe Living Conditions: Many widows and their average of 4–5 children are forced to live in temporary shelters made of sticks and mud. These structures often have leaky roofs, creating poor health conditions during the rainy season and leaving families at constant risk due to a lack of safety and security.
How much does it cost to build a home for a widow in Burundi?
It costs $1,000 USD to build a home for a widow and her children. Very few Burundians enjoy the privilege of running water or electricity in their homes. In 2026, Sister Connection began to provide widows with a Sawyer water filter and a solar light as part of the homebuilding package.
Who builds the homes?
Sister Connection purchases building materials and hires local laborers from the same village as the homeless widow. This process provides a boost to the village economy and helps to restore relationships within her community.
How long does it take to build a home for a widow in Burundi?
It typically takes 9 months from start to finish. We build between rainy seasons so there is some flex needed in the annual homebuilding schedule.
Does the cost of building a home include sponsoring a widow?
No — homebuilding and sponsorship serve two unique needs. The first step of restoring the lives of widows and orphans starts with ensuring they have a safe and stable place to live. Obtaining a sponsor for the family is the next step. This ensures that the family has sufficient funds for food, medicine, and school fees.
What does it mean to sponsor a widow?
When sponsoring a widow, one is restoring her health, healing, dignity and hope for her and her children’s future. One may sponsor a widow and her children for $50.00/month. This provides the means for food, medicines and school fees. The sponsored widows write letters, with the help of a translator, to their sponsors a couple of times a year, and sponsors are welcome to write letters in return.
Could I go visit my sponsored widow in Burundi?
Sister Connection leads a mission trip to Burundi every August with people who have applied, been accepted and are able to pay their own way to Burundi. While there, it is possible, but not guaranteed, that a sponsor might meet the widow(s) they sponsor.
What does “in3” refer to?
in3 is the name of the 3-year vocational training program. Widows and orphans learn sound business practices and receive mentoring about how to start and maintain a business, with the goal of widows becoming self-sufficient and no longer relying on the funds provided by sponsors.
What kinds of things do the widows learn while at the vocational training program?
Widows in the vocational training program, known as “in3,” learn business practices tailored to their personalities, physical capabilities, and the specific region where they live.
- Farming and selling agricultural goods and livestock
- Sewing skills
- Palm oil extraction
- Selling charcoal used for cooking
The goal of this three-year program is for the widows to learn sound business practices and receive mentoring so they can become self-sufficient and no longer rely on sponsorship funds.
Who teaches the vocational training classes?
Sister Connection employs a Vocational Training Coordinator and an Assistant.
Does a widow have to be a Christian in order to benefit from Sister Connection programs?
No, it is not a requirement for a widow to be a follower of Jesus Christ. However, Christian camps are offered by Sister Connection every August for widows and orphans. Camps are a special time of fellowship, worship, and learning the word of God. There are also counseling opportunities for anyone in need. Camps are offered for widows and their children (ages 5–12), teens (13–17), and young adults (18–25) and widows.
Sister Connection is a Christian organization whose foundation is built upon the scripture found in James 1:27, “Religion that God the Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.”
The mission of Sister Connection is to raise up the destitute widows of Burundi by providing paths to self-sufficiency.
The vision of Sister Connection is to empower Burundi’s widows and orphans to thrive in their communities with healing, dignity and hope.