GITEGA November 10th (ABP) – Young members of the KOBANI cooperative in Giheta are delighted with the training they receive from this cooperative in modern pottery, basketry, sewing, jewellery, marketing and digital communication with the support of the European Union.
In an interview with the latter, Mr. Nduwimana Eddy from the Batwa category praised the initiative of the KOBANI cooperative within the framework of the social reintegration of Batwa. He pointed out that today some young Batwa participate in community development work unlike in the past. It is for this reason that Mr. Nduwimana challenged young Batwa not to always put themselves on the sidelines but to join others in development work and to massively join cooperatives to learn different trades which will serve them to earn bread in their daily life.
The head of the KOBANI cooperative, Mr. Epipode Kamana of the Batwa ethnic group, said that he set up this cooperative in the context of supporting and helping young Burundians from different social categories, namely the Hutu, Tutsis and Batwa to learn different trades in order to develop, taking into account that most of them are unemployed.
Mr. Kamana indicated that he is delighted with the step already taken because, according to him, these young people work closely together in their difference. He also pointed out that he accompanies those who complete these apprenticeships by finding them outlets for the products produced.
Despite that, the head of this cooperative reported that the sewing project has experienced some challenges including the lack of electricity needed for some sewing machines. That is why he pleaded with the administration and the competent authorities, including REGIDESO, to take this issue in hand. Indeed, various materials for the realization of this project are in total insecurity and can be stolen from one moment to another following the darkness.
Mr. Kamana said that once this project is completed, more than 30 winners will be automatically hired by this cooperative.
The administrator of the Giheta commune, Mrs. Micheline Ninahaza thanked the head of the KOBANI cooperative who continues to support and supervise young people seeking employment in his area of intervention by giving them training in relation to different trades which produce modern objects, which allows these young people not to spend all their time at the ligalas.
The administrator of the Giheta commune calls on young people to massively learn these trades in order to self-develop and develop their commune. She invited the development partners to increase the sum granted to these cooperatives so that these trainings extend to the level of the villages.