Youth led organizations engaged in charitable activities despite lack of financial support

The International Day of Charity is celebrated every year on 5 September. In Burundi, youth led organizations that are dedicated to charity related activities are going well despite the lack of financial support.

Arthur Mugisha: “Everyone was helped in a way or another to get where they are, we have to help people in need”.

Arthur Mugisha, co-founder of Youth Building Synergy to end poverty-YBSP, says his association is proud of its achievements as it runs different projects despite the lack of funding. “There are different ongoing projects namely feed a child project where we organize Sunday meal for street children. There is also education for all, a project to help children with school materials and women empowerment program, where we provide women with small grants so as to prevent their children from going back into the streets”.

Mr. Mugisha says YBSP is running these projects thanks to members and fans’ dedication. “Each member gives their monthly contribution. We also have friends and supporters either at the national or the international level and they support us when they are able”, he says, adding that sometimes they organize activities for raising funds at the beginning of each school year to get school materials for vulnerable kids.

He calls on other people to get involved in charitable work and help those in need for their bright future. “Everyone was helped in a way or another to get where they are, there is no excuse; we have to help people in need”.

Janvier Manirakiza, founder of Dreaming for Change -D4C, says that coming from a humble background has not stopped his dreams but inspired him to create a better world. “D4C participates in empowering women, mentoring youths and feeding street children in different parts of the country”.

Mr. Manirakiza says his association struggles to achieve its objective as there is no funding available. “Challenges are still many since D4C doesn’t have any source of funding so far. All the achievements were remarkable thanks to the generosity of our friends in Burundi and around the globe”.
He calls on both the population and government to be actors of change. “Community development can only happen if there is a strong commitment of both government and the population”.

Declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, the purpose of the International Day of Charity is to raise awareness and provide a common platform for charity related activities all over the world.