Burundi – comics help people to participate

 René Claude Niyonkuru, Lawyer and Land Consultant, Coordinator of APDH’s Comics Project.

APDH (Association pour la Paix et les Droits de l’Homme) is World Comics Finland’s partner organisation in a grassroots comics project in Burundi. The project started in 2010 and has now reached almost completion. 

A quote from a report by APDH’s Comics Project Coordinator René Claude Niyonkuru:

“Grassroots comics were introduced in Burundi for the first time with this small project but it didn’t take a long time to discover, both for APDH, its partners and the community, how useful and powerful it is as a development and social change communication tool.

In the beginning, there was hesitation and confusion, where people, not familiar with mass education, were sceptical that no one, among communities or decision makers, will ever take into consideration “banal drawings” from rural women or young pupils in schools; that the well-educated cannot “waste time” drawing to express their views while they can use well-articulated speeches!

Other people were afraid, stating that drawing is not an innate talent, available for everyone!” …

“As it is relevant, especially for our rural and illiterate beneficiaries, the project needs to be pursued.

Grassroots comics will surely help as a communication tool in the preparation and the functioning of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and, once again in the preparation of the 2015 elections. We need people and communities to participate in the whole process, and we need tools and techniques for that.”…

More samples of comics made by clubs and groups in APDH’s network will soon be posted here.

 

Critique session at a comics workshop in Ngozi, 2011