After the war : Roots & Shoots in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo

As an international Roots & Shoots volunteer in Tanzania, I had the opportunity to meet with several founding members of Roots & Shoots from Burundi and Congo. In Kigoma, where they used to live when they were refugees, they told me about their stories, successes and difficulties, and shared their hopes for the future. Now they are looking forward to receiving some further support from the Roots & Shoots network in order to develop their activities in their respective countries, which are slowly recovering from the past conflicts.

Because of the war destroying his country, Burundi, David Ninteretse grew up in Tanzania. He went back there as soon as possible, in order to resume his studies in French, until the war broke out again with the assassination of the first Hutu President elected in Burundi. Back in Tanzania, David studied another two years at the Congolese school in Kigoma, where he took part in Roots & Shoots activities. Unfortunately, he had to interrupt his studies once again when the school closed. After staying for some time at the Nyanugusu Congolese refugee camp, he went to Uvira, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, until conflict erupted there in 2005, forcing him to flee the country.
Although he could not come back to Tanzania as a refugee, David returned to Burundi where he met with Ancile Ntirwihisha, a local French teacher. Ancile is part of « Inkingi z’ubuntu », that is to say the people who risked their life to save other people. Ancile used to live in a district inhabited by a majority of Tutsis, as Hutus had fled, fearing they would be killed by the Tutsis. When war broke out in town, Ancile tried to save the students whose parents ran away by hiding them in her house. Since then, those students grew up, and some of them eventually joined Roots & Shoots with Ancile, in the hope of building a better future for their country.

With the help of a few Tanzanian friends, the first club of “Jane Goodall young volunteers” of Burundi was created in April, 2006. Another club, composed of Tutsi and Hutu children and named “the children of hope” was developed to promote peace in their area. Today there are 18 Roots & Shoots clubs in Burundi, with more than 600 members, from primary school to university, as well as marginalized communities such as the Twa ethnic group, bicycle-taxi drivers and orphans, whom David and his friends have helped to teach music. The later have their own club, which is called “impanuzi”, and means “counseling club”. In addition to planting trees, Roots & Shoots members talk to government officials about deforestation and bush meat trafficking.

Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Justin wanted to emigrate to South Africa to flee from the war which was tearing his country apart. Instead he found shelter in Tanzania, where he met with John Shabani, another Congolese refugee. John told him about Doctor Jane Goodall, the Jane Goodall Institute which she founded, and Roots & Shoots. Interested in the philosophy of the JGI youth program, Justin decided to take part in Roots & Shoots activities in Tanzania. During the years that followed, John and Justin looked for funds and information to send back to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) so that they could launch Roots & Shoots there.

And in 2006, they did just that. The first Roots & Shoots club in DRC was created in 2006 at the superior pedagogical institute of Bukavu. It initially had eight members. On a voluntary basis, the Roots & Shoots group endeavored to spread awareness about the program through debates and meetings in youth centers and schools visits. They also ran HIV/AIDS testing campaigns, as well as workshops on environmental protection. They were rewarded for their efforts; today there are 16 clubs in DRC, mostly in the North Kivu region, and there are still several requests to create new clubs.
Amongst other activities, Congolese Roots & Shoots clubs built tree nurseries, and celebrated the international Arbor Day with music, drama and poetry. In Uvira, one club planted bamboos along one part of the shore of Lake Tanganiyka. Other Roots & Shoots members visited the Kauzi-Biega national park, where many elephants and gorillas have been killed during the conflict which lasted from 2004 to 2006. At the university level, a conference on biodiversity and sustainable tourism was organized in September 2007. Furthermore, Roots & Shoots clubs from Burundi and DRC came together to make an audio CD celebrating peace, which they sell to collect funds for their future activities.

The founding members of Roots & Shoots in Burundi and DRC are all volunteers. They ran their activities with their own financial contributions, and devoted a lot of time and energy to Roots & Shoots in a particularly difficult setting. Recently there has been three earthquakes in DRC, which caused substantial material damage.
Nevertheless they have numerous projects for 2008, starting by creating Roots & Shoots clubs in the entire country in order to inform as many children as possible about environmental conservation.

In order to fulfill these objectives, our friends seek to receive further documentation and advice from Roots & Shoots members at the international level, especially from French speaking countries. This collaboration could take place through the Partnerships in Understanding program, which enables groups from different countries to exchange ideas and information, and eventually create lasting bonds.

If you are interested in building such a partnership with a Roots & Shoots club in Burundi or DRC, please get in touch with you national branch. Let us hope now that we will be able to gather our strengths to move a spirit of peace across the borders in order to build a better future and lasting peace in Burundi and DRC.

Visit to Kitwe, one of the main sites of the TACARE program, with Roots & Shoots volunteers from Burundi, DRC and Tanzania

Après la guerre : Roots & Shoots au Burundi et en République Démocratique du Congo

En tant que volontaire internationale pour Roots & Shoots en Tanzanie, j’ai eu l’occasion de rencontrer plusieurs membres fondateurs de Roots & Shoots au Burundi et au Congo à Kigoma, ville qu’ils connaissent bien pour y avoir vécu alors qu’ils etaient réfugiés. Après m’avoir raconté leurs histoires, leurs succès et leurs difficultés, ils m’ont fait part de leurs espoirs, dont celui de bénéficier du soutien du réseau Roots & Shoots pour développer leurs activités dans leurs pays, qui se relèvent peu à peu de la guerre.

Justin voulait émigrer en Afrique du Sud pour fuir la guerre qui déchirait son pays, la République Démocratique du Congo. Il a trouvé asile en Tanzanie, où il a rencontré John Shabani, un autre réfugié congolais. C’est alors que John lui a parlé du Docteur Goodall, de l’institut qui porte son nom, et de Roots & Shoots. Intéressé par la philosophie du programme jeunesse du JGI, Justin a décidé de participer aux activités Roots & Shoots en Tanzanie. Pendant deux ans, John et Justin ont cherché des informations et des fonds pour rentrer au pays et y introduire Roots & Shoots.

Arrivés en RDC en 2006, ils creèrent le premier club Roots & Shoots à l’institut supérieur pédagogique de Bukavu, alors composé de 8 membres. Toujours sur la base du volontariat, l’équipe fondatrice de Roots & Shoots au Congo s’est efforcé de faire connaître le programme à travers des débats et des réunions dans les centres de jeunes et des visites d’écoles. Elle a également conduit des campagnes de dépistage du virus VIH/SIDA et d’éducation à la protection de l’environnement. Tous ces efforts ont été récompensés ; il existe aujourd’hui 16 clubs en RDC, dont la plupart se situent dans la région du Nord Kivu. Par ailleurs, plusieurs demandes de constitution de nouveaux clubs ont été reçues.
Parmi les activités réalisées, les clubs Roots & Shoots congolais ont construit des pépinières, distribué des arbres et célébré la journée internationale de l’arbre par de la musique, des sketches, ainsi que des poèmes. Un club d’Uvira a planté des roseaux au bord du lac Tanganiyka. D’autres membres Roots & Shoots ont visité le parc national de Kauzi-Biega, où ils ont pu constater que beaucoup d’éléphants et de gorilles ont été tués pendant les hostilités de 2004 à 2006. Une conférence sur la biodiversité et le tourisme durable a été organisée au niveau universitaire en Septembre 2007. Enfin, des clubs Roots & Shoots du Burundi et de RDC se sont regroupés pour produire un CD de musique célébrant la paix et destiné à la vente afin de récolter des fonds pour financer de futures activités.

L’équipe de Roots & Shoots RDC a fait preuve d’une grande volonté pour mener à bien de nombreux projets dans un pays dévasté par la guerre. A présent, elle a besoin du soutien de ses pairs pour l’aider à développer ses activités plus sereinement.

A cause du conflit qui sévissait dans son pays, le Burundi, David Ninteretse a grandi en Tanzanie. Dès que possible, il est retourné dans le pays de ses parents, où il a recommencé ses études en Français. Cependant celles-ci ont été interrompues à la reprise de la guerre, déclenchée par l’assissinat du premier président Hutu élu au Burundi. De retour en Tanzanie, David a étudié deux ans au centre scolaire congolais de Kigoma, où il a pris part aux activités d’un club Roots & Shoots. Malheureusement, il n’a pas pu poursuivre ses études à cause de la fermeture du centre. Après avoir transité au camp de réfugiés congolais de Nyanugusu, il est parti à Uvira, en République Démocratique du Congo, jusqu’au conflit qui éclata en 2005 et qui le força à fuir le pays.
Bien que dans l’impossibilité de retourner en Tanzanie comme réfugié, David est rentré au Burundi. Là il a fait la connaissance d’Ancile Ntirwihisha, enseignante et maman de cinq enfants. Ancile fait partie des « Inkingi z’ubuntu » c'est-à-dire des personnes qui ont risqué leur vie pour sauver celle des autres. Elle habitait dans un quartier à majorité Tutsie car les Hutus avaient fui de peur que les jeunes Tutsis ne les tuent. Lorsque la guerre a éclaté en ville, Ancile a essayé de sauver les élèves dont les parents avaient fui le quartier en les gardant chez elle. Depuis ces enfants ont grandi, et certains ont rejoint Roots & Shoots aux côtés d’Ancile, dans l’espoir d’un meilleur avenir pour le pays qu’il reste à reconstruire.

Avec l’aide d’amis de Tanzanie, le premier club de “Jeunes Volontaires de Jane Goodall” du Burundi a été créé en avril 2006. Un autre club, baptisé “les enfants de l’espoir”, regroupant enfants Tutsis et Hutus, a participé à la promotion de la paix. Aujourd’hui il existe 18 clubs Roots & Shoots qui rassemblent plus de 600 membres dans les écoles primaires, secondaires et les universités, sans oublier les communautés marginalisées telles que l’ethnie des Twa, les taxis-vélos et les enfants orphelins, auxquels David et ses amis ont enseigné la musique. Ces derniers ont leur propre groupe, appelé club impanuzi, qui veut dire “club de conseil”. L’équipe fondatrice de Roots & Shoots a parlé des problèmes de déforestation et de trafic d’espèces protégées avec le gouvernement. De leur côté, les clubs luttent contre l’érosion en plantant des arbres.

Tout comme les volontaires Roots & Shoots en RDC, L’équipe de Roots & Shoots Burundi est entièrement constituée de volontaires. Tous ont entrepris leurs activités sur la base de leurs propres contributions, en temps, énergie, et argent dans un contexte particulièrement difficile. Il y a eu trois tremblements de terre en RDC au cours des dernières semaines, ce qui a causé plusieurs dégâts matériels.
Pour autant, nos amis ont de nombreux projets pour 2008, à commencer par celui d’établir des clubs Roots & Shoots sur le plan national afin de sensibiliser un maximum d’enfants aux enjeux de la promotion de la paix et de la protection de la nature.

Pour que ces objectifs aboutissent, ils cherchent à recueillir de la documentation sur Roots & Shoots, ansi que des conseils des autres branches de Roots & Shoots dans le monde, tout spécialement de la part de clubs francophones, Ce partenariat pourrait s’effectuer notamment à travers le programme “Collaborer pour comprendre” (Partnerships in Understanding), qui permet à des groupes de différents pays de correspondre et d’échanger des idées et des informations, l’occasion de connaître une autre culture et de creér des liens d’amitié.
Si vous aussi aimeriez correspondre avec un club Roots & Shoots au Congo ou au Burundi, informez-en l’équipe Roots & Shoots de votre pays. Espérons qu’ensemble nous pourrons faire souffler l’esprit de paix à travers nos frontières !

Le Docteur Jane Goodall, entourée de membres Roots & Shoots du Burundi, de la République Démocratique du Congo, de France et de Tanzanie – Janvier, 2008 / Doctor Jane Goodall and Roots & Shoots members from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, France and Tanzania – January, 2008.

Starting Roots & Shoots clubs in the Masito Ugalla area

Recently, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) in Tanzania launched the Masito Ugalla Ecosystem (MUE) Program. The Masito Ugalla is a rich biodiversity area, home to about 540 chimpanzees and other threatened species such as elephants, elands, hartebeests, duikers and buffaloes. However, the area is subjected to the unsustainable exploitation of its resources due to a high population influx leading to the clearing of forests for agriculture and increased bush meat trafficking, as well as more poverty and hunger. To prevent further destruction of this unique ecosystem, the JGI decided to replicate TACARE and the Greater Gombe Ecosystem programs which proved so successful around Kigoma. The aim of the MUE project is therefore to improve the conservation of the biodiversity in the Masito-Ugalla ecosystem through community centered natural resources management.

As an international volunteer with Roots & Shoots in Kigoma, I have been invited to join two trips to the Masito-Ugalla area to initiate Roots & Shoots clubs in order to increase young people’s knowledge and willingness to conserve their natural resources.

After a beautiful journey through the hills surrounding the Masito Ugalla area. we crossed the Malagarasi river to visit our first school. Mkuyu primary school is one of the most underprivileged in the region. It had no teachers’ office and lacked both classrooms and teachers. Similarly, in Mazungwe primary school, the smallest kids were sitting in an open-air classroom, using the sand as a notebook.

An open-air classroom in Mazungwe primary school

The Environmental Education Officer for the MUE program would begin our presentation by talking about the environment, whilst I would tell the kids about Doctor Goodall’s story and another Roots & Shoots volunteer would give further details on Roots & Shoots philosophy and how to create a club and run it efficiently. During a week’s trip, we visited eleven other schools around Uvinza and Mpanda town, taking every opportunity we had to speak to the local authorities about our initiative.

As we traveled across the region, we visited Katavi National Park where we saw many hippos, giraffes, zebras, a hyena and two lions. We also came across two big challenges for the MUE projet; firewood extraction by the salt factories, and shifting agriculture practiced on a wide scale by the refugees, destroying large portions of the forest. The poor teaching and learning environment together with the lack of water supply sources in some of the schools might also cause some difficulties in implementing Roots & Shoots activities.
However, everywhere we went teachers and students proved very enthusiastic and inspired by our visit. It was quite encouraging for them to see someone coming from a very distant country to share ideas about Roots & Shoots, as it shows that this program brings together young people from all origins, so that we can understand each other better. So there are many reasons for us to have good hopes for the future of the Masito Ugalla area, as its youth will soon engage in positive action to preserve their environment and community and become part of the global Roots & Shoots network.

Présentation de Roots & Shoots au Collège de filles de Mpanda, dans la région de Masito Ugalla au sud de Kigoma.