GITEGA, July 29th (ABP) – The Ministry of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security organized, on Friday July 26, 2024, in Gitega (center of the country), an exchange meeting for provincial and district administrative officials as well as heads of provincial directorates responsible for family and social development “DPDFS” throughout the country, with a view to preparing the national day dedicated to local solidarity, a day that will be celebrated on Friday August 2, 2024 in all the villages and neighborhoods of Burundi, a check on-the-spot by ABP has revealed.
The Minister in charge of national solidarity, Mrs. Imelde Sabushimike, who chaired the meeting, reminded the participants in her opening speech that the government of Burundi had established this day dedicated to national solidarity in order to promote the rooting of the culture of social mutual aid and solidarity that has always characterized the people of Burundi at the level of all sections of the population, whether in hard times or times of joy, and the government’s partners to contribute sufficiently to social cohesion, promote the values of solidarity and support all sustainable socio-economic development initiatives. Minister Sabushimike also indicated that this day was established in order to build a country based on a solid social protection base through the support of the most vulnerable; to collect material and financial resources intended to help vulnerable people of various kinds, identified across all the districts of the country; to assist disaster victims and other vulnerable groups that need assistance in their lives and to address the phenomenon of “children in street situations” and “begging”.
She indicated that the government of Burundi wants no Burundian to be left behind in development, in order to achieve together the vision of an emerging Burundi in 2040 and a developed country in 2060.
She therefore called on all stakeholders in the preparation of this celebration to contribute enormously, each in what they are capable of, so that the population responds massively in this activity, including natives living elsewhere from their village or native neighborhood.
Based on this, Mrs. Sabushimike thanked the provinces that occupied the first places, in particular the Kayanza province followed respectively by the provinces of Bujumbura Mairie, Muyinga, Cankuzo and Karusi.
She called on the administrative officials to use the funds collected well by assisting the most vulnerable. She gave the example of Kayanza province which has collected a lot of resources but there are families in difficult situations that should be given priority but who have not received any help.
The Minister in charge of national solidarity finally called on the leaders of churches and mosques to also help raise awareness among their faithful by issuing related press releases during worship services.