Of course, some young people have created a business transforming corn cobs into biodegradable charcoal. Others make sofas, flower pots and clay cups. These projects are profitable because they bring in money for them.

A debate held at a time that is particularly relevant given the extent of youth unemployment in the country in general and in Gitega in particular.

This is the case of Munyankindi Dimitri, a young resident of the CENAR neighborhood who decided to start selling units. "I thought you had to have a lot of money to start a business. But there are modest and profitable activities that we can start with and gradually develop," Munyankindi pointed out.

These small tasks rather neglected by young people

A young participant in the debate who finished his studies now owns his own carpentry workshop. While still in school, he equipped himself gradually and ended up with a complete set of tools today.

"All those young people who were disparaging what I did come up to me every day asking for work," he said.

Lack of self-esteem, shame and discouragement from other young people are challenges that young people face in the field of entrepreneurship.

Other young people remain idle with their arms crossed, holding out their hands to their parents when they could even manufacture or transport bricks and earn money.

Aloys Kamwenubusa, blogger with the Yaga collective, does not mince his words: young people must know that things have changed and that the state is no longer able to hire all the young people in the country. For this reason, they must unite and start businesses, Kamwenubusa concluded.

By Willy Ntakarutimana