BUJUMBURA, March 7th (ABP) – The Economic empowerment and youth employment programme (PAEEJ) is a major source of funding for young Burundians. It helps to improve the employment prospects of young people in Burundi and provides direct support and opportunities while encouraging entrepreneurship. That emerged from an interview ABP had on Thursday 6 March 2025 with some young people who appreciate the benefits of PAEEJ.
Ineza Niella Confiance, a young entrepreneur working in the Bujumbura town hall, said that financial support from PAEEJ had enabled her to set up her own business called “Niella Candles”, which makes candles in different colours from beeswax and soya oil, and perfume that repels flies and mosquitoes in homes. She also said that the PAEEJ is one of the undisputed sponsorships for young people. “We prepared our project and submitted it to PAEEJ. After analysing the project, we were given a chance to get a sum of money which we used to get our project off to a good start. Without PAEEJ, we would not have been able to work well,” she said.
Isaïe Ndayihimbaze, a young entrepreneur who makes natural soaps and hygiene products from local ingredients such as mushrooms and avocado pits, also said: “With the support of PAEEJ, my capital has increased. Today, I can produce more to satisfy my customers. PAEEJ has also helped me to advertise my products in various media.
Gérard Niyukuri, a young entrepreneur who makes doughnuts in the Gituro neighbourhood in the commune of Ntahangwa, praised the government’s initiative in thinking of young people who do not have sufficient capital to empower themselves by creating the programme and the Youth Investment Bank (BIJE) to support them. “Even though I have not yet received an opportunity to have funding from the PAEEJ, I recognise and appreciate that great initiative by the government,” he said.
The members of the Union des jeunes engagés pour l’auto-développement (UJEAD-Burundi bw’ejo) association, who make soap in the Bujumbura commune of Mukaza, also appreciated the government’s programme to set up financial institutions to help people find the means to carry out their projects. “That programme has reduced unemployment among young people and eased the financial problems for profitable youth projects”, they said. At the same time, they urged the Burundian government to find another programme to help young people set up small projects that would be appreciated by the PAEEJ.
All those speakers called on young people with well-prepared projects to avoid fear by submitting them to PAEEJ to apply for loans to carry them out, in order to support the government’s national vision. “All young people in Burundi should be working to increase production”, they insisted.