Her back bent over the earth, her hands working with determination. This is Dorothée, a strong and combative woman who lives in the province of Bururi (Burundi), where AMU – together with the local partner CASOBU – accompanies Burundian families on paths to improve their living conditions . And Dorothée is one of the protagonists of the project Si può fare!: undoubtedly one of the most tenacious. Five years ago the woman was left without her husband and it was up to her to find a solution to deal with the great difficulties the family was experiencing. The work in the fields was never enough: the harvest was far from being able to satisfy daily needs: “I had to take care of my four children, pay for their schooling, but also improve the family economy” . How to do? Where to begin to imagine, plan, and create a future different from the one that was weighing on their heads? The unexpected solution came from a suggestion from her brother-in-law, who had told her how his living conditions had improved thanks to community microcredit: with small loans you can start small businesses that can generate an income. In short, change is possible. Dorothée embraced this new perspective, did not hesitate and joined one of the savings and credit groups: the “Tuzokira” group of Cangwe , on the Rukanda hill. The name of the group can be translated as: “We will evolve” . It is easy to understand how it encompasses the desire to achieve the goal of development.
With the support of the project Si può fare! Dorothée has learned to create and manage income-generating activities thanks to the loans she received. Over time, she has diversified the work she does, showing that she has an entrepreneurial attitude: she has rented oil palms in order to produce and resell the oil obtained; she has bought cassava to process it and sell the paste; she has sold palm seeds. It was a demanding and at the same time rewarding job: ” I was determined and I didn’t want to be discouraged by any obstacle” . The result? We can say that she has made it. Family needs are no longer a concern, she continues to take care of her activities and to be part of the microcredit group. All of this makes her feel fulfilled and appreciated. But she has no intention of stopping yet. This satisfaction is only a first step, but it also gives her a huge push towards the realization of her big dream.
“Most of my activities are in Cangwe. But I live very far away, in a remote and rugged area. If I moved to Cangwe, I would feel more comfortable.” .
È qui che vorrebbe costruire una casa tutta sua.
Per raggiungere questo obiettivo, la donna ha messo in atto un piano: “I asked for a loan to supplement the money I had earned from various income-generating activities. I ended up getting 2,000,000 FBU (Burundian Francs), which I used to buy land. After repaying the loan, I asked for another to produce 20,000 bricks . This year I plan to start building.” According to his estimates, he will have achieved his goal in three years.
