BUJUMBURA February 11th (ABP) – Two young graduates from the University of Burundi, MM. Manirambona Dominique and Nininahazwe Télésphore living on the Kibuye hill of the Muyira zone in Kanyosha commune have decided to create their own jobs after their studies and say they are very satisfied even if the journey has not been easy, we learned in an interview granted Wednesday to the ABP.
Indeed, Mr. Manirambona is a finalist at the Institute for Applied Pedagogy (IPA) in the department of Kirundi-Swahili while Mr. Nininahazwe is a finalist in the Faculty of Law. They indicate that they met in Buyenzi at the Association of Destitute Orphan Mechanics and the Street (AMECORDE-Turivuyeko) while they were training together which enabled them to obtain certificates in the sewing trade.
According to Mr. Manirambona, the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey was not easy but they were inspired by the quote from Simone de Beauvoir which states that “one is not born a man, one becomes one”. With little means in their possession, he said, they were still able to buy a single machine and tried to use it alternately being in their household and after a certain period, they managed to buy a second machine and then rent a house to set up a workshop there.
He also specified that with their profession, they are currently able to meet their daily needs despite the competition and the infidelity of certain customers which constitute one of the major challenges they face.
That is how those two young people call on other young people and especially those who finish university to tackle entrepreneurship by joining income-generating activities. They also believe that entrepreneurship is a pillar of sustainable development but ask the government to reduce or eliminate, if possible, taxes on the activities of young entrepreneurs.