A Call To Duty; Public-Spiritedness as a Tool for Change.
Nicknamed the Garden of Eden, Burundi is an East African country bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the south and east, Democratic Republic to the west and Lake Tanganyika to the south west. It is a landlocked country.
Burundi’s economic performance has greatly been affected by the history of interethnic conflict resulting in great loss of lives and properties. According to the United Nations, Burundi is a least developed country making it the 2nd poorest country after South Sudan in accordance to the Global finance for economic data on Poorest Countries in the World, May 2024.
On the team’s visit and arrival to Burundi, Wode Maya observed the impact of recent flooding on the country. With days turning into months, the water had not receded. The people have to make use of boats as means of commuting into their various houses. Touched by this ordeal, Maya went on a generous spree, touching lives of both young and old, men, women and children.
First off, in collaboration with SEKANAWE pads, a Burundian brand of pads, (IG:seka.nawe_pads) he sponsored 100 females with 400 pads and other sanitary items for a 4 month period, relieving them of the discomfort of using cloth during that time of the month. He as well purchased bags of food items and shared with the affected community hit by the floods. Including providing breakfast for all children in the community.
Away from the inner communities to the streets of Bujumbura, (this name does ring a bell if you’re Ghanaian and know Kasoa Budumburam) he paid fares for all travellers in some selected buses en route to other destinations.
Still being a rainbow in the clouds of Burundians, Wode Maya visited a public hospital to settle arrears of discharged patients who could not settle their bills . But as destiny would have it, luck shone on an elderly man in a private hospital owing huge amount of Burundian Franc in a space of 3 months after admission.
Partnering with Youth building in Synergy to end Poverty, (YBSP) an organisation in Burundi that feeds the homeless every Sunday, Maya crowned the day by feeding over 100 kids with a balanced meal.
‘Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly and underrated agent of human change’ and as an agent in uniting the African continent, it is essential we learn to love ourselves and use kindness as a simple yet powerful tool to call for the change we want to see.
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