BUJUMBURA, August 30th (ABP) – On Tuesday 27 August 2024, the Burundi Housing Bank (BHB) organized a workshop for the Burundi diaspora, to discuss the achievements of projects in Burundi.
BHB Commercial Director Baudouin Muhiziwintore explained that this type of workshop has been organized every year during the summer months since BHB opened as a commercial bank. Since then, BHB has attracted a number of customers. As a result, the BHB has seen fit to meet members of the Burundian diaspora to discuss achievements, challenges and prospects so that the BHB can improve. The commercial director of the BHB pointed out that this bank has a mission to finance decent housing not only to the diaspora but also to any Burundian population capable of carrying out projects to acquire decent housing in town.
With this in mind, he pointed out that BHB has engineers who accompany customers from the initial phase right through to the finishing work on the houses, as well as providing technical advice to beneficiaries. During the discussions, participants wanted to know more about the savings and credit process. Mr Muhiziwintore explained the advantages of saving and the conditions for obtaining a home loan. They also raised their concerns, particularly in relation to the technique of making withdrawals from abroad (web banking) and the extension of the loan repayment period from seven to ten years. The Commercial Director replied that all those concerns would be studied by management, and promised that he would come up with concrete solutions at the next meeting. The head of the Burundian diaspora delegation, Mr. Samuel Ndayiragije, noted that the bank had not yet reached a decision. Samuel Ndayiragije, having noted the achievements of certain members of the diaspora via the BHB, thanked the latter for having supported the initiatives of the diaspora, while calling on others who remain behind, to invest in their native country in order to build and support together the vision of a country emerging in 2040 and developed in 2060. He did not fail to call on other banks operating in Burundi to follow in the footsteps of the BHB for the development of the country.