The path of accompanying microcredit groups in Burundi has led to a stronger and more concentrated investment in the creation of income-generating activities.
Why is this step so important?
Creating income-generating activities means providing families with the ability to meet their economic needs and improve their living conditions. It is not an easy path, and it has never been from the beginning. In fact, Burundi is one of the five countries with the highest poverty rates in the world. But AMU, together with its local partner CASOBU, launched the program Si può fare! in 2007, with the aim of supporting families in urban and rural areas in five Burundian provinces (Bujumbura, Bururi, Ruyigi, Kayanza and Cibitoke) on this path.
Judith who works on the project in Burundi has a clear idea of the objectives to be achieved when it comes to income generating activities and why to do it:
“It is not enough to train beneficiaries, we must also support them so that they can make good use of this opportunity for savings and credit as a starting point towards sustainable development.”
“It is now necessary to stimulate a reflection on the economic functioning of the family – explains Amandine, also in the Si può fare! team in Burundi – the next step is to train the families who access the credit and evaluate what the advantages and disadvantages are and what behavior to adopt to repay the credit on time, evaluating the profitability of their business with the appropriate tools”.
Amandine does not deny that this is a transition that will require patience and courage , “not only for the members of the accompanied groups but also for the field workers who accompany them.”
