My Trip to New York

From September 17 to 24, 2010, I undertook a mission to New York to attend several civil society events organized on the margins of the High-Level Plenary Meeting of the UN general Assembly taken in New York from 20 to 22 September 2010. I was invited and supported by Action On Armed Violence "AOAV», a UK organisation working in partnership in fight against armed violence and victim assistance.

It is not easy to describe in a few words how I found New York City but that town with the headquarters of the United Nations was interested me from the economically and socially point.
With large buildings in floor, I admired the order that reigns in the road despite a large number of vehicles that circulate New York.
Despite their different colours, languages, culture and religion, the mutual respect that characterizes people who live in New York left me feeling a good example that everyone else might follow for peaceful coexistence and a real global change.

Then, the activities began with a series of meetings organized by international organizations in which my organization CEDAC supported a pact on peace and security prepared by AOAV" Global Call to Action Again Poverty "CGAP" and "The World We Want 2015.
My statement was based mainly on the integration aspect of armed struggle against violence in the final document of the MDGs.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010, by Carla De Ycaza, teacher at New York University, I had the opportunity to respond to the invitation of the university students who wanted to know a lot about my work in Burundi through CEDAC which I am a legal representative.
They have appreciated the work done by the PMRC in its effort to contribute to the fight against armed violence and promoting development.
I want to thank any one for the time he spent for meeting with me and AOAV which funded my mission in New York.


Eric Niragira

Field visit to Burundi by the Special Delegate of the Howard Buffet Foundation

Field visit to Burundi by the Special Delegate of the Howard Buffet Foundation

This Thursday, January 13, 2010, in collaboration with the Representative of Survivor Corps in Burundi, Mr Pierre Claver Nsengiyumva, Eric Niragira, Founder President and Chairman of CEDAC, representatives of Care International and the Special representative of the Howard Buffett Foundation, Mr Koffi, visited women ex-combatants, member of CEDAC in province of Bujumbura Rural, to analyze the step already taken in DUSHIGIKIRANE project funded by the Howard Buffett Foundation.

The objective of visit was also to notice progress and lessons already learned by women ex-combatants as part of this project.

This project aimed at social and economic reintegration of female ex-combatants focused on three approaches, the first is to strengthen the female ex-combatant groups in the system of micro credit. This approach is realized by Care International.
Then the second approach consists to strengthen the women ex-combatants capacity on the rice plantation where new quality more productive were developed and given to female ex-combatants for planting.
IRRI dealing with that approach, gives women ex-combatants all necessary equipment from sowing to harvest.

The third approach is to train women ex-combatants on education approach to peer support, which is to assist survivors, touched by the trauma of war and to help them go beyond past and become normal people.

All partners who were there enjoyed the project development and the meeting ended with a remarkable appreciation from the Special delegate of the Howard Buffett Foundation

Eric Niragira

Founder president of CEDAC