RUYIGI January 31st (ABP) – Young people in Ruyigi province are called upon to wake up, to create bankable projects to present to the Youth Economic Empowerment and Employment Program, PAEEJ, for the search for investment funds. That appeal comes from the head of PAEEJ in Ruyigi province, Mrs. Annonciate Iranyibutse. She specifies that the number of projects received by the PAEEJ in Ruyigi is not very satisfactory and that young people are clearly losing enthusiasm for that institution. Mrs. Iranyibutse calls on all young people who want to build a bright future and achieve sustainable development to head towards that institution. She indicates that the pace of young people sending their projects to PAEEJ to seek funding is currently not satisfactory enough. According to her, some young people believe that life is good and easy elsewhere, in the big cities of Burundi and especially abroad and leave as soon as they finish their studies.
Others turn to non-governmental organizations working on site and are unable to save the money and time necessary to set up sustainable projects. The other category of young people is unable to write projects and send them to the relevant bodies, because they simply do not have the knowledge.
However, there is another category of young people from Ruyigi, who quickly understood the added value provided by the projects supported and financed by the PAEEJ and are currently at a very advanced stage in development. She gave the example of a certain Joffrey Nikezwe, from the Ruyigi commune, a computer engineer by training, but who launched into agriculture three years ago and who is currently at the level of multiplier of certified seeds. The latter personally testifies that thanks to the support of PAEEJ, he currently operates more than 7 hectares and intends to expand his activity towards an agribusiness of potatoes, soya, corn, etc.
The administrator of the Ruyigi commune, Ms. Antoinette Semugara, positively appreciates that step already taken by those pioneers in the development of young people. For those who do not have enough intellectual skills, she encourages them to join forces with those who have them within cooperative movements, to move forward together in development.