A fresh new start for the "fruits ladies" of Bujumbura Central Market

After the grenade attack that swept away the fruits merchants in 2015, the survivors were in total despair. Fruits business in Bujumbura is mostly a ladies business. Most of them were widows or had jobless husbands. They were then their families pillars. Barely earning money for a day-to-day life, they left away all their goods during the attack. Few days after, FVS-AMADE BURUNDI «ABAGENZI B'ABANA» approached the "fruits ladies" with four objectives:

• helping the fruits ladies to start their business again

• organizing solidarity for the deceased merchants' orphans

• giving the survivors psychological assistance so that they could recover from their trauma and get back to work

• helping the survivors to get medical care as many of them got grenade fragments

To do so, FVS-AMADE BURUNDI «ABAGENZI B'ABANA» gather the women in a solidarity group and taught them the «Nawe N’uze», a village savings and loans approach. On a weekly basis, the solidarity group members save small amounts in 3 moneyboxes: a credit fund for income-generating activities, a solidarity fund and a fund for orphans and other vulnerable children. Once "Dufatane Mu Nda" solidarity group created, its members was then able to get Tuzokira Twese insurance, a community healthcare insurance which covers 80% of the family healthcare costs.

A year after, Dufatane Mu Nda solidarity group has caught men's attention and some have joined the group. The solidarity group has now 51 members and has initiated another group. On June 9th, it was in a festive atmosphere that Dufatane Mu Nda members have shared their savings for the first time. Men and women wore outfits with similar prints to show the solidarity group is their second family. They had invited FVS -AMADE BURUNDI «ABAGENZI B'ABANA» legal representative and staff to the party.

With the interest generated by loans between them, Dufatane Mu Nda members shared FBU 6, 852, 000. Their fund for orphans and other vulnerable children allowed the group to save up to FBU 500,000 to distribute 115 school kits this year compared with 47 kits in 2015.

Isabelle is a fruit lady. She is grateful to FVS-AMADE BURUNDI «ABAGENZI B'ABANA» because today, her colleagues and her can again contribute to the well-being of their families and help orphans and other vulnerable children they have in charge. Not only do they have access to micro-loans through DUKUZE IBIBONDO Microfinance but the Dufatane mu Nda group members also benefits from the Tuzokira Twese health insurance. Thanks to Nawe N’uze approach and to DUKUZE IBIBONDO Microfinance, Isabelle was able to increase her capital and also buy a building plot.