The Japanese Social Development Fund has invested nearly CFAF 500 million for the Support Project for the Promotion of Sustainable Livelihoods (PASD), in order to support the social integration of vulnerable populations in the Department of Pool, victim repeated armed violence.
PASD was initiated as part of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Program, after the signing of the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities agreement between the government and the ex-rebels. The project is intended for groups of women and unemployed young people.
At the launch of PASD on June 18, 2019 in Kinkala, it was indicated that it is fully funded by the Japanese Social Development Fund, to the tune of 1.325 billion CFA francs. The pilot phase is currently being carried out in Linzolo in the district of Goma Tse-tse and in a few villages in the district of Kinkala.
For the first component, a total of 194 projects were approved and are in the implementation phase, for a total amount of 464,443,670 CFA francs. Activities are developed by economic interest groups (IPCC) working in various sectors, such as market gardening, fish farming, food crops, pig and small ruminant breeding, beekeeping, petty trade and ‘Arts and crafts.
On a site inspection mission on November 18 and 19, the project manager, Jean Pierre Nakountala, accompanied by the High Commissioner for the reintegration of ex-combatants, Euloge Landry Kolelas, indicated that in the district of Goma Tsé -Tsé, 69 projects are currently in development. They are 38 in Linzolo and 21 in Koubolo, for an amount of 145,169,000 Fcfa. In Kinkala, on the other hand, 34 projects were selected, of which 18 in Yangui village and 16 in Yalavounga, for an amount of 13,442,000 CFA francs. 101 other projects are also underway in the district of Mindouli, for a total cost estimated at more than 235 million CFA francs.
PASD is carried out in the field under two essential components. The project aims to stimulate the improvement of the means of subsistence of the poor populations of Pool, with the objective of promoting the associative work of village communities, by improving their output.
For the beneficiaries, especially the ex-combatants, this is an opportunity to be seized in order to integrate well in order to turn the page on violence in the department of Pool. “We have turned our backs on the violence and embraced the call of the head of state for us to be free and to undertake income-generating activities. I manage about three hundred ex-combatants here.
With some, we do market gardening, fish farming and small businesses, ”underlined Ghislain Bintsamou, younger brother of the former rebel Pasteur Ntoumi, approached by the press in the village of Yangui. Speaking on the occasion, the High Commissioner for the reintegration of ex-combatants, who expressed his satisfaction, called for the preservation of peace in Pool, a sine qua non of a better existence.
“The actual start of PASD activities began in November 2019. The project is going well in the department, despite the multifaceted constraints. The PASD has made significant progress on the ground, “said Euloge Landry Kolelas, who chaired, on the occasion, the signing of the implementation agreements between the project and the beneficiaries.
