On Thursday, February 1st, 2024, the Burundi Alumni Association officially launched its activities at its headquarters in Rohero 1, at Source du Nil Avenue, no.25. The alumni and fellows of different US government funded programs attended the ceremonies which were enhanced by the presence of Karin Ehlert, the Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy Bujumbura, Burundi, different authorities from the US embassy, as well as the representative of the Mayor of City of Bujumbura.
Jean Berchmans Siboniyo, the President of the Burundi Alumni Association emphasized how the Burundi Alumni Association was created as one entity that puts together different fellows and alumni. “It has been a challenge but we have an organization that combines and unites all fellows and alumni of all the US funded programs. This organization will empower both alumni, youth from different background and the community. In fact, alumni and youth have different problems that the organization is trying to solve namely lack of work spaces, lack of combination of efforts, individualism. We create that to end all those challenges and to get together as one for the betterment of the community. Also, the organization aims at creating a pool of experts of different skills that will be intervening wherever needed as consultants and mentors”, he confides.
Mentioning to have Burundi in the inner part of her heart, Karin Ehlert, the Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy Bujumbura, Burundi, informed that when she first arrived in Burundi, she met some alumni and had conversation that they wanted to have Burundi Alumni Association that will combine all the US exchange programs together. “And today, I can’t believe we’re finally here. Tonight means so much to me and I think it means so much to everyone in this room. I just want to say thank you to everyone who is here tonight and especially to the alumni who did all the best to make it happen”, she mentions.
Stressing on the dedication to Burundi, she underlined how all the US funded programs are so crucial to the attendants. “People are traveling to the US, different areas of Africa, but the most important thing that I observed is the commitment to Burundi. So you go, you share information about Burundi. You’re the ambassadors of Burundi, your culture, your food and interacting with people of different cultures. And it’s a knowledge exchange. So, you teach American and everyone else and they’ll love so much. There so many things amazing in Burundi. And I hope you love America, the different areas the programs focus on. So, it’s so amazing to see that and it’s amazing for me for I have to sit with people who return from the exchange programs. And as an American I love to hear the story, the impressions.”
The representative of the mayor of the city of Bujumbura, Joselyne Nimpagaritse, appreciated the Burundi Alumni Association initiative which was born from the ideas of fellows and alumni of exchange and professional development programs to invest in the community for sustainable development.
Gifts and Certificates of gratitude were given by Burundi Alumni Association to Karin Ehlert, the Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy Bujumbura, Burundi and Ramadhani Sintuka, Public Engagement Specialist and EducationUSA Adviser at U.S. Embassy Bujumbura, Burundi who contributed significantly to the creation of the Burundi Alumni Association.
Different alumni and fellows whose companies have services and products had stands for exhibition. They visited the stands and then the offices. It was a great opportunity for alumni and fellows to connect and network. The ceremonies closed by sharing drinks and foods.
