Reconciliation of Refugees Returning from Exile.

Dear Donors,

The April little by little campaign is from April 3^rd -7^th. Online donations up to $50 will be matched at 50%. Please give your donation during that week to benefit from the matching opportunity. Invite your family members and friends to donate for IPB project entitled: “Reconciliation of Refugees Returning from the Exile (49443).

Your donation has improved the Human Right Respect in Burundi and daily life of returnees as it contributed to their trauma healing, social cohesion and economic resilience through, among others, the Self-Help Group approach and other income generating activities.

The key success stories:

Odette

My name is Odette, I was born and raised in Muramvya Province. I dropped out of school in primary sixth. I, then, came to the capital city of Bujumbura to look for a better life. I got married to a man and now I have five children. Like many women, I never share the financial life of my home with my husband who works full time.  He does not allow me to participate into the management of his salary and other family possessions. I joined a self-help group (SHG) run by IPB by the end of 2020. My major target was to be able to generate some money monthly. I then took a loan from the SHG and in agreement with my husband, I built a small house on the tiny plot of land located in front of the main house. This house is now rented by one family that pays 40 000 BIF every month. The money has boasted the financial situation of our family.

Esperance

I got to accept myself when I understood that even though I am a girl, there is something I am best at a boy is not good at. Before, I believed that I was able of nothing. This kind of belief matched with what the society and my family taught me. At home, I was mistreated because I was the only girl among five brothers. Whatever they told me at home, they tried hard to show me that I am nothing and I am able of nothing constructive. Now, I understood and I even experienced that I am a child like others in the family. I have something I am good at that many boys aren’t. I understand that I existed so that we may complete each other.

Therence

I want to share with two initiatives I personally undertook as a way of exploiting the economic opportunities. Firstly, I started a jewelry shop which is located in Bwiza the 4^th avenue number 25 near the Saint Thomas Clinic. It is my own shop. Secondly, I started an association named in French “Association des Jeunes Leaders pour le Développement (AJLD).  I brought together 22 persons who are now officially the members of the association. Among other activities of the association, we have a department of saving and credits. That’s all, thank you!

• Analyse des opportunites economiques (DOCX)
• Esperance understood about gender equality (DOCX)
• Odette built a house from Self Help Group credit (DOCX)