Dorcas House Association (DHA) was created in 2012 to promote peace and socio-economic development in Burundi. Its mission is to help people undertake income-generating activities, to improve their living conditions and foster sustainable development.

DHA works with the most vulnerable groups, particularly with women and people living in extreme poverty. The organisation recognises a strong link between peace and development, and it runs trainings on peacebuilding and non-violent communication.

DHA also aims to get its beneficiaries organised into cooperatives, so that they can achieve the goal of self-development while consolidating relationships among themselves.

The main areas of focus of the organisation are:

• Workshops on peacebuilding, non-violent communication and conflict resolution for families and local community groups.
• Health-care training for women (on topics including hygiene, HIV/Aids and malaria)
• Promoting income-generating activities and small businesses such as trade of charcoal, vegetable, snacks and small-scale farming.

Thanks to the activities organised by DHA, tensions in the community have decreased and the livelihoods of the women involved in the project have improved. For example, some of the beneficiaries abandoned prostitution and are now earning daily income from the small businesses they set up.