What is Audry Rusangwa and Ishaka2250 up to with SDGs Education in Burundi?

Good evening all.

Today is Tuesday, 21^st July 2020 and the time is 7.00pm GMT prompt.

You are all welcome to today’s GoalsKeeper of the Week TweetChat and on the hot seat is Audry Rusangwa, the founder of Ishaka2250 in Burundi. We had the privilege of developing their website – www.ishaka2250.org.

Thank you for finding time to be with us. I strongly believe we shall have a great moment together this evening by strengthening our relationship and forming a mutually-benefiting network.

The Preamble

This TweetChat is tagged “GoalsKeeper of the Week TweetChat,” and it affords us the opportunity to connect with SDG initiatives and goalskeepers and ask them about their programmes.

The chat will be in a thread, and while we ask questions, our guest will answer with the reply tab.

You are free to respond to any of the questions and answers using the reply tab and remember to use the hashtag #FreeWeb4SDGs.

Once more we welcome our special guest today, Audry Rusangwa.

Let’s give you a brief about this brave young man fighting the cause of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Citation

Audry RUSANGWA, a young leader, is the Founder and Chief Executive of ISHAKA 2250, a Burundian organization promoting SDGs Education in schools and communities. He was former Communication Intern at UNFPA, UN WFP and UNDP. Also a Communication Volunteer with Terre des Hommes and Translators Without Borders. Audry was an online United Nations Volunteer for one year and Administration Assistant at UN WFP. Audry is excited to contribute to the achievement of SDGs in East African communities through ISHAKA 2250 initiatives.

Since we have now know the pedigree of our guest, let’s now go to the questions we have for him today.

Questions and Answers Time

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q1:

What motivated you to start Isaka2250 initiative and where did you derive the name from?

Audry Rusangwa A1:

To start ISHAKA 2250, I was motivated by the fact that SDGs are not clearly known by many African people and I took the opportunity to promote them in a clear and easy way.

I got the name in the UN Resolution 2250 which is specific for the great benefit of young people. ISHAKA is our native language and simply means “courage.” You know. This is a great cause and without courage nothing can work.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q2:

The main focus of Ishaka2250 is strengthening community and school initiatives for awareness and resilience of the Sustainable Development Goals in Burundi. Can you throw more light on this?

Audry Rusangwa A2:

Thanks for this 2nd question. This is resumed by our mission of promoting SDGs in both schools and communities, Climate initiatives, Peacebuilding and SDGs Broadcast and TeleCast. SDGs need to be known by everyone in order to be successfully achieved and this is what we are doing.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q3:

Yes. Very true. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is great commitment. What has been your accomplishments in the pursuance of the objectives of Ishaka2250?

Audry Rusangwa A3:

Our accomplishment is as follow:

We have implemented SDGs in 10 schools.
We have done 4 mega SDGs Events.
We have planted thousands of trees.
We have created many SDGs modules in our local language.
We have been involved in peace building.
SDGs are now being known by Burundian youths.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q4:

It is so gratifying seeing what you are doing in Burundi, ans we are so proud of your achievements. How has the majority of Burundians taken the pursuance of the Sustainable Development Goals?

Audry Rusangwa A4:

Thanks, for this 4th question. Many are getting familiarised with SDGs, but the work is really far from over. However, we are impressed with the passion of the majority of students in the 10 schools which are working with us. This generation is really attracted to the SDGs.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q5:

Yeah. As per the scaling of the SDGs, we still have a lot to do before 2030. What does Burundi, as a country, need to do to make sure they are not left behind as we strive to accomplish the SDG mission by 2030?

Audry Rusangwa A5:

Encouraging young people and letting them on the lead are the best solutions, not only for Burundi but also for all nations of the world. This 2030 Agenda is only possible when we involve young people.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q6:

I love that: “This 2030 Agenda is only possible when we involve young people.” Since after the devastating civil wars and genocides, what is it that has motivated the majority of young Burundians to arise as a force to forge a new direction for the country?

Audry Rusangwa A6:

Young people are synonymous with energy, change and hope. I prefer to simply say nothing is abnormal.

SurprisingLagos Question:

If we may ask. Looking at the laudable commitment of you and your team to the SDGs in Burundi, how have you been able to fund your programmes and projects?

Audry Rusangwa Answer

The great thing that is important to me on this noble cause, is that the engagement bell is really heard and noticeable. We are not having funds as we want but something is being done. I know the importance of funds in our many pending projects but for me engagement is stronger at the end of the day.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q7:

If you are following this conversation, you are free to ask your own questions or make your comments. Thank you.

Let me take the next question.

Looking as the commitments of young Burundians like Emmanuel Niyoyabikoze of Greening Burundi, Olivier Nihimbazwe of International Student Environmental Coalition, Bruce Irankunda, Uwimana Ornella, and many others. How have they been an encouragement to other young people in Burundi in joining the SDGs force?

Audry Rusangwa A7:

Yes, I know Emmanuel, he is working hard to improve the environment issues in my country, and inspiring young people to join the development matters for the benefits of all.

I just did a research on Olivier Nihimbazwe but truly speaking for now I am not familiar with him, but I just see that he is also doing something positive in Burundi. The others, Bruce and Ornella are from my team and they are restoring SDGs hopes in our country, Burundi.

Response by Olivier Nihimbazwe

Sure, Emmanuel Niyoyabikoze is really doing a good job and motivating many Burundian youths to care of the environment. Let’s get in touch and share ideas. If we come together we can achieve more for our country, Burundi and our planet at large. Thanks to #FreeWeb4SDGs. If it wasn’t this TweetChat, I wouldn’t have met Audry Rusangwa.

Response by Aloys Nkurunziza

I followed your fruitful tweet chat with much attention. Ishaka2250 is doing marvelous work in education to raise this awareness on #SDGs for young Burundians. I hope this would be of great inspiration in action for many of us. All we need as youth is to come together to address our problems and share all this information on #SDGs. Many young people need access to this especially those in remote areas.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q8:

What have been your challenges and travails in the Ishaka2250 project?

Audry Rusangwa A8:

This is a very important question. Our great challenges have been paucity of funds. We have so many projects on files, but honestly, their real place is in the communities and not on files. Kindly be informed that what you see is 40% of what we wish to do.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q9:

Truly funding has been a major challenge to the actualisation of SDG initiatives. We believe the United Nations, the African Union and many governmental agencies have a lot of consideration to make in this regard.

Let me now ask, what are your future plans for your organisation, Ishaka2250?

Audry Rusangwa A9:

Our future plan is to look for funds for two projects:

Radio and TV Program on SDGs for Adolescents and Young people.
To open ISHAKA 2250 Offices in 2 countries of Africa.

#FreeWeb4SDGs Q10:

What is your final word as we round up this TweetChat?

Audry Rusangwa A10:

There are many SDGs common mistakes, #SDGs are not for the United Nations alone but for everyone. SDGs were not just packaged by the United Nation and submitted to countries to implement. These tenets of the SDGs discussed, universally agreed upon and ratified by the General Assembly of the United Nations. So we must all be involved.

Words of Thanks

Thank you so much Audry for finding time to be with us today, and we are very grateful for the insights we have gotten from you.

We also thank our followers who have been with us today and want to let you know that we appreciate the time you have spent with us.

Next Edition of “GoalsKeeper of the Week” TweetChat

The “GoalsKeeper of the Week TweetChat,” is a weekly programme and the next edition will be on Tuesday, 28^th July 2020 as we have Nkechi Macaulay of Boys Lives Matter Foundation on the hot seat. Save the date.

Free Websites Application Portal Is Open

Our application portal is still open till July 31^st for SDG initiatives to apply for a FREE website to showcase their projects, programmes & connect with their team, volunteers & supporters?

APPLY HERE > www.freeweb4sdgs.com