Olivier is the Founder and Executive Director of Water for Development, a non-profit organisation working to provide access to clean and safe water, hygiene, and sanitation services. Water for Development is active in rural areas of Burundi, where in 2021 32% of the population was spending over 30 minutes per day collecting water [1]. Olivier launched his initiative to address the inaccessibility of safe drinking water to give back to his community. He works with local young people to manufacture and distribute chlorine for water treatment through dispensers and disinfected water systems. Water for Development has also incorporated microbial analysis and water testing using rapid test kits.
Olivier attended the One Young World Summit in Manchester, 2022. He was inspired by his fellow Ambassadors to continue using his leadership role to improve lives and transform his community.
Water for Development has provided safe, disinfected water through chlorine dispensers to 49,000 people. Community members are tasked with upkeep of chlorine dispensers and receive training on product maintenance. The organisation produces chlorine locally and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Burundian government to chlorinate traditional water points, install dispensers, and clean piped water systems. Olivier has reached an additional 93,000 people through disinfecting these piped water systems. The team has supported 22 schools through hygiene and WASH education and training, impacting a further 9,000 children, and providing handwashing facilities, chlorine, and sensitisation activities. In partnership with the local government, Water for Development has installed dustbins in public places through the Make Cibitoke Green campaign. The initiative has also trained 55 young people on climate change.
“At the One Young World Summit, I was inspired by fellow young people. For me, leadership is using your life to change or improve other people’s lives. My passion for community transformation went higher, and I decided to focus the most productive years of my career into doing this work that I am doing.”
