The “Pépinière pour le développement complet” (PDCO) cooperative helps unemployed young people of Kinama to get out of poverty

BUJUMBURA January 25^th (ABP) – The Cooperative “Pépinière pour le développement complet” helps young unemployed people of Kinama to get out of poverty, said Mr. Thérence Sibomana, leader of the management committee of the cooperative, during an interview he gave a check by ABP on Wednesday January 18, 2023.

Those unemployed young people have different educations levels. There are those who have completed the general or technical education and others who have university degrees (baccalaureate or bachelor’s degree) as well as those who have had jobs.

Mr. Sibomana said that they founded the cooperative in 2021 being 15 in number. Until today, they are 20 in number and can meet their daily needs through that cooperative.

He underlined that by starting the activities, each member of the cooperative should bring 500,000 BIF as a startup capital. They started with the sewing workshop, then a shop and a cafeteria.

According to him, each member contributes 6000 BIF per week, and that he is entitled to loan equivalent to double his share.

For example, he explained that a member who has 100,000 BIF, has the right to obtain a 200,000 BIF-loan, one who has 500,000 BIF is entitled to a 1,000,000 BIF-loan, repayable in 4 months with a 2% interest rate. Whoever has 1,500,000 BIF in the cooperative, receives a loan of 3,000,000 BIF repayable in 6 months but with interest of 3% per month.

He further indicated that they bought a plot of 9 acres in the province of Bubanza at 14 million BIF. That plot will house various projects that the cooperative wishes to implement, including a rice shed, mills for rice and palm oil, poultry and pig farming, …

The PDCO has also rented a house in Buterere zone, in the urban commune of Ntahangwa, where they will set up a small center to teach young people about development.

They thank the government of Burundi for having encouraged young Burundians in the integration of income-generating activities and asked for material and financial support to work well and be able to set up the projects they have planned.