BUJUMBURA November 11th (ABP) – The Minister of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, Mrs. Imelde Sabushimike proceeded Thursday, November 10, 2022 in Bujumbura, to the official launch of the socio-reintegration project – economic development of vulnerable young people in the areas of Buterere and Kanyosha in the town hall of Bujumbura financed by the Coca-Cola Foundation to the tune of 149,600 US dollars and initiated by the Giriyuja association.
In her speech, the Minister in charge of National Solidarity first recalled that the statistics from the digital census of young unemployed graduates of 2020, Burundi recorded 286,515 young unemployed people, including 132,483 women and 153,957 men. These figures also show that 86% of the young unemployed who have come forward have secondary education, nearly 10% have gone to university and 1.3% are limited to primary school.
According to Mrs. Sabushimike, these figures are supplemented by the ISTEEBU, which specifies that 43% of households in Burundi are poor according to the integrated survey on household living conditions in Burundi of 2019-2020. This means that in general, the families from which the young unemployed Burundians come are not able to provide them with a small start-up capital to get started even in the informal sector. She pointed out that the objective of this project is to empower young people through training and professional reintegration in practical trades. This project also aims to train and place 200 young people in the workplace, including 160 girls in the sewing trade and 40 boys in the car and motorcycle mechanic trades. The implementation of this project, which will last 24 months, will contribute to the creation of jobs, the improvement of living conditions, the availability of services and the supervision of young people. She also added that after the practical learning, many families will have a sulfur of relief for their children who will have occupations allowing them to acquire their daily needs.
Mrs. Sabushimike took the opportunity to thank the Giriyuja association and the Coca-cola foundation for supporting the efforts of the government of the Republic of Burundi in the supervision and guidance of children and young people.
Taking the floor, the national coordinator of the Giriyuja association, Mr. Barandagiye encouraged the vulnerable young people. He also specified that the project will contribute to the empowerment of vulnerable young people through training and professional reintegration in practical trades and is in line with the government of Burundi in its priority of finding solutions for young unemployed people.
Miss Nsabiyumva Sylvie who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the Giriyuja association and the Coca-cola foundation for having initiated this project, explaining that the training received will enable them to prepare for their future. She asked the Giriyuja association to continue to supervise them even when they are on the ground applying what they have learned.