BUJUMBURA October 11th (ABP) – The governor of Bujumbura province (western Burundi), Désiré Nsengiyumva, held on Friday, at the headquarters of Kanyosha commune, a meeting for assessing the Local Solidarity Day. The meeting participants included the members of his office, communal administrators, communal agronomists, and social workers of the Family and Community Development Center involved in the targeting of the destitute and vulnerable beneficiaries as well as in the collection of aid, a check by ABP revealed.
In his opening remarks, Governor Nsengiyumva pointed out that it is difficult to govern people who are destitute and hungry, reason why one has to think about how people of low income or who do not have income at all have to live. “We must try to lift them out of their poverty, raise them up so that they can one day take care of themselves.”
In turn, the administrators gave each in what concerns them what they collected in terms of dry and fresh food, and money but, some of them indicated that the people gave food and were reluctant to donate money.
Governor Nsengiyumva did not appreciate that work done by the administrators and did not hide his disapproval for those who showed a lightness in that work, in particular two communes which collected 10,000 BIF and 12,000 BIF respectively.
Members of communal national solidarity committees displayed the challenge of targeting beneficiaries where there are large numbers of people. In this regard, the governor recommended that the targeting of beneficiaries be rigorous and respect the criteria because, if they do not take it seriously, it will be difficult for the communes to assist them.
In addition, participants proposed that a register of beneficiaries be set up and there will be public validation for greater transparency.
The governor as chairman of the provincial local solidarity commission criticized the fact that people are not won over to the cause of helping others and called on members of different local solidarity committees to continue raising awareness.
To the administrators, he asked them to get involved more than they do to achieve good results of solidarity towards the needy in the villages, the communes and finally, the whole province.