VSLA—Village Saving and Loan Association. These letters are often heard in the non-profit world in Burundi. Their familiarity can almost hide the ingenuity behind the method.

“I have forgiven him. I forgave them. No more holding grudges, no more bitterness.” , The rain tried to drown out her testimony that day—but God.

It is a hot afternoon at the Ruziba After-School Center, late November. The staff are preparing for the children’s arrival when the first footsteps appear—the kindergarteners, walking in from the nearby school. One by one, they greet everyone with both hands in quiet respect, eyes lifted for eye contact.