BUJUMBURA January 6th (ABP) – The first lady of Burundi, Mrs. Angéline Ndayishimiye, honored with her presence on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, the Christmas and New Year wish ceremonies, to children orphaned by AIDS and vulnerable children, supervised by the National Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS (ANSS) and SWAA-Burundi.
Those ceremonies took place at the Regina Mundi Cathedral, after a thanksgiving mass celebrated in the chapel of that cathedral. The activity was also honored with the presence of the director general of Inter Petroleum, who, since 2009, has been supporting those children to celebrate Christmas and a Happy New Year.
On that occasion, Mrs. Ndayishimiye thanked the ANSS and SWAA-Burundi associations, which have taken the lead in the fight against AIDS in Burundi. She particularly praised the bravery of Mrs. Jeanne Gapiya, chairperson of the ANSS, for her commitment to the fight against AIDS, without forgetting the late Juvénal Ntandikiye and the Yezu Mwīzá association.
She did not forget to thank the company Inter petroleum, for its laudable initiative to financially support each year the New Year and Christmas celebration for AIDS orphans.
She also gave advice to those children, asking them to behave well, to avoid debauchery which is one of the causes of AIDS. She asked them to follow the advice of parents or educators and to love God.
The first lady criticized the behavior of some mothers who hide from their children that they are infected with the AIDS virus. Instead, she advised them to bring them to the healthcare centers for treatment.
As for the director general of Inter Petroleum, he indicated that life only has meaning if you do good. He also indicated that orphaned children have the right to education, healthcare and food, reason why, according to him, his company has responded positively to the appeal made to him by the chairperson of the ANSS.
Mrs. Jeanne Gapiya said in her speech that the Paris Sida Sud project, piloted by the ANSS and supported by Sidaction and the Paris City Hall, has already supported around 7,400 orphan children and other vulnerable children, by providing them with education in primary to secondary schools, medicines, food and rent.
However, she indicated that for the children who have to go to university, she had to create the Gapiya fund, supported by other benefactors. Mrs. Gapiya thanked the company Inter Petroleum which continues to support children by celebrating Christmas and Happy New Year for them.
The first lady also gave them gifts consisting of food and non-food items, such as clothes, food, drinks, candy and other gifts were given to the children.