BUJUMBURA November 19th (ABP) – Some soldiers from Cibitoke province (northwestern Burundi) got together and formed a cooperative called “Afya juice” to prepare their pensions and reduce unemployment, we learned Tuesday November 16, 2021 by the production manager of this cooperative, Mr. Francis Ukwitegetse, during the world entrepreneurs’ forum organized at the Independence boulevard, in front of the Intwari stadium.
Mr. Ukwitegetse said that the cooperative “Afya juice” was founded in September 2009 by nine soldiers and three civilians in Cibitoke province, Buganda commune, Gasenyi zone, with a capital of 10,000,000 BIF. The founding members purchased the necessary equipment for the production of the juices, including pineapple juice without added sugar or water, and pineapple juice with ginger, water and sugar.
According to the production manager, the cooperative bought a machine that extracts juice, another which crushes ginger, as well as a refractometer used to measure the sugar used. Other devices purchased are the perachimeter to measure the acidity level (PH) of pineapple required for preservation, the thermometer used during pasteurization, and the pasteurizer, which consists of reducing microbial loads.
The cooperative hired seven young people who earn between 70,000 and 200,000 FBu per month. She plans to hire more young people, Ukwitegetse said, adding that a bottle of juice is sold for 1,000 FBu. At the end of the year, the members of the cooperative share the interest received estimated at 1,000,000 BIF.
The production manager of the “Afya juice” cooperative pleads with the state to set up a bottle production plant in order to stop the use of foreign bottles, collected or those already used.
He urges the population to love local products.