BURUNDI

CHAIN OF SOLIDARITY FOR  SELF DEVELOPMENT OF THE POOR

Burundi is a small african state. It is in the Great Lakes region. It borders with Rwanda in the north, with Democratic Republic of Congo in the west and with Tanzania in the south and in the east. Its capital city is now Gitega.

Burundi has a population of about 8 million inhabitants, the highest number of orphans in the world, with a percentage of 10% among the inhabitants.

At this time the problem of poverty in Burundi is dramatic.

Families,usually of about 6 people, are not able to pay for school, health and it is even difficult to have just a meal a day.

In Burundi more than half of the children (0-5 years) has a growth delay because of malnutrition.

In Burundi Aid for Life began its activity in 2008 creating in Kirundo the Integrated Agricultural Project (P.A.I.), the Villaggio Avvenire Bambini (Children Future Village) and the Microproject Saaf.

Today we cooperate with the Burundi Association SADV  (Solidaritè pour l’Auto Développement des Vulnérables) founded in Cibitoke by our friend priest Audace Ndayishimiye.

SADV was born to improve the life conditions of vulnerable people creating jobs so that they can have their financial autonomy. This could improve GDP and limit the migratory flow of those who run away from poverty.

The Solidarity Chain for Self Development of  the Poor in Burundi is an agricultural and livestock project  intended to create work, improve the conditions of life of the vulnerable, provide micro-financing as solidarity chains.

Particularly we helped create  a pig farming and we are working on a microproject of transformation of agricultural products. The breeding of animals allows each family to own one little pig, so that an increasing number of families can stand their difficulties in life, creating a real solidarity chain and furnishing organic fertilizer fundamental for the agricultural activity.

 

 

Distribution of weaned piglets to 9 non-catholic families

 

 

Priest Audace and his collaborators

 

HAGURUKA HARAGEZE PROJECT – It’s time to get up  (talking to workers sitting too long for lack of work)

 

The project beneficiaries are the bicycle drivers in the hills RUSIGA and MPARAMBO in the municipality of RUGOMBO, province of CIBITOKE, and in the hill GIHANGA in the municipality of GIHANGA, province of BUBANZA.

The project will be managed by a team of three people: a coordinator, a treasurer and a responsible for monitoring and evaluating, who will be hired by SADV on the basis of skills.

SADV association will seek out the beneficiaries of bicycles and will arrange their distribution. There will be two training sessions a week to teach the beneficiaries about economics according to the Ubuntu values (this notion is a value  shared by many African cultures including humanity, kindness, solidarity, compassion…) because they will have to create a common fund for their support. During these sessions they will have a liquidity and community fund management training.

SADV will bring togheter  the bicycle drivers who accepted to work in a cooperative, to prepare them to get a bicycle having the ability to manage job earnings and their savings for the future.

Only after the first year, the bicycles expenses will be recovered. Old bicycles will be personal property of the associated drivers and the depreciation  will be used to buy 20 new bicycles and train 20 new drivers and create another association in another location. The first association will buy two motorbikes for rent with the savings. The bicycle drivers will keep earning and saving money.

At the end of the second year the depreciated sum will permit to the association to buy a car for rent. At this point the second ssociation will be at the end of its first year and will have paid off its expenses for the 20 bicycles which would be assigned to 20 new drivers in another location to create a third association.

 

At the end of the third year there will be three associations in three different locations with different financial situations.

 

So, at the end of the project, the added value after three years will be

  • 60 young jobless owners of 60 bicycles to work;
  • 60 young people will be trained in financial education for personal development;
  • 60 income generating activities (IGA) undertaken by young people (trained and accompanied);
  • 6 people will work (3 of the leadership team + 2 motorbike drivers +1 car driver);
  • 3 associations of 20 young people in three different locations will be created.

 

 

 

First assigned bicycles

 

You can consult the project at this link:

ENCADREMENT DES TAXIS VELOS

 

 

For more informations click here and contact

 

  • Marco Sciarpa +39 328 3678457
  • donatori@aidforlife.org