BUBANZA, August 30th (ABP) – Members of the Organization of Forces for Development (OFD-Terimbere), working in the education sector, met in general assembly on Sunday, August 25, 2024, at the headquarters of the Basic School (ECOFO-Terimbere) located in Gahise, Musigati zone and district in Bubanza province, to assess the ten-year achievements and set new objectives to be achieved, in accordance with the requirements of the vision of Burundi as an emerging country in 2040 and a developed country in 2060.
It was also within the framework of celebrating the jubilee of 10 years in action because, according to the legal representative of OFD-Terimbere, Mr. Salvator Niyonzima, that organization was approved in 2014 by the ministry responsible for non-profit associations. The related ceremonies were honored with the presence of the secretary of the CNDD-FDD party in the new district of Bubanza, Mr. Emmanuel Ntirandekura as well as the educational leaders of Bubanza province in general and Musigati district in particular.
In his presentation on the history and achievements of OFD-Terimbere for the first decade 2014-2024, teacher Désiré Ndayizeye first recalled that the objectives of that organization aim to awaken the consciousness among the population in the fight against ignorance, to encourage group work, to protect the environment, to provide jobs for young people, to name but a few.
Mr. Ndayizeye pointed out that they quickly embarked on the project in education sector by setting up a basic school called ECOFO-Terimbere which, from 2014 to 2020, was a tenant of the Catholic parish of Musigati. “Tired of rental costs, we agreed to buy a plot of land in Gahise to build our own school,” he said, adding that in addition to ECOFO-Terimbere for day students, there is also the ECOFO-Terimbere for boarders with two classrooms, two dormitories and a refectory, which began to welcome boarders in 2022.
Teacher Ndayizeye specified that among the 8 ECOFO-Terimbere promotions that have already taken the national contest for the class 9, 6 promotions have passed 100%. ECOFO-Terimbere currently has 433 alumni. Some of them are currently pursuing Master’s programs, while others have had the chance to continue their studies abroad, he revealed, noting that 24 young people including a bursar who is a graduate of that school, have been hired to carry out the latter’s mission.
For his part, the legal representative of OFD-Terimbere, Salvator Niyonzima, said he was satisfied with those ten-year achievements in the education sector. “Had it not been the combination of our forces, the achievements that we have talked about would not be possible,” the legal representative of OFD-Terimbere insisted. He also noted that they started with 21 students but that they currently have a total of 240 students including 81 boarders and 159 day students. This school continues to function well thanks to the tuition fees of boarding and day students, he added.
OFD-Terimbere has not left aside the field of environmental protection. Mr. Niyonzima reported that work has already been carried out to protect the banks of the Nyamugerera River and the edges of the Kibira forest, on the Musigati side, by planting bamboo, as well as growing eucalyptus trees on the ECOFO-Terimbere property. He asked other young people to work in cooperatives or associations because, he said, unity is strength.
Taking the floor, the secretary of the CNDD-FDD party in the new district of Bubanza according to the new administrative division, Emmanuel Ntirandekura, congratulated OFD-Terimbere for that step taken in supporting the education sector. Given that the objectives that OFD-Terimbere has set for itself are in line with the vision of Burundi as an emerging country in 2040 and a developed country in 2060, Mr. Ntirandekura encouraged the members of OFD-Terimbere to move forward while working tirelessly to achieve sustainable development and be truly economically independent.
To that end, he asked them to initiate agricultural and livestock projects by taking ownership of the fruit and coffee tree planting project. Finally, he asked the educators to serve as a role model for their educatees.
As for future prospects, the members of OFD-Terimbere proposed that there be a multilingual library, a system for monitoring OFD-Terimbere alumni so that they can be ambassadors of that school wherever they are, strengthening partnership with the outside world, encouraging ECOFO-Terimbere staff in general and increasing the salaries of teachers of that school in particular, a retreat for members of that organization, etc.
On the same subject of future prospects, the legal representative of OFD-Terimbere told the press that they keep expanding the premises of their school because, he explained, the number of students is increasing year after year and that they want to set up a nursery school and a post-basic school to finally set up a University-Terimbere once the financial means are available. Promising that quality education will always be put forward, he asked parents from all corners of the country to enroll their children in that school.
Mr. Niyonzima took the opportunity to ask administrative officials to stay by their side and both national and international non-governmental organizations to support them in that mission that they have assigned themselves.
The 10-year jubilee celebration ceremonies ended with the granting of surprise envelopes to three members who stood out during the ten years in action. These are the forerunner of the idea of founding the said organization, Mr. Emmanuel Ndayisaba, the head of the ECOFO-Terimbere construction project by the name of Pacifique Nizigiyimana as well as the director of ECOFO-Terimbere, Mr. Vincent Nizeyimana.
It is worthy to note that OFD-Terimbere currently has 40 members, including 20 founding members and 20 associate members.