The Professional Integration Day

 

                                          The University Institute of Technology at Hamramba, Moroni

In order to celebrate the 46^th anniversary of the independence of Comoros, a workshop entitled “Appropriation of the Emerging Comoros Plan by the University of Comoros’’  was organized by the State University of Comoros on July 1st, 2021 at the Golden Tulip hotel in Itsandra. The president of the Union of Comoros, Azali Assoumani was among the guests of honor. “The university was established in 2004 and has become a kind of security for many young people who finish high school before reaching the age of majority. When they go abroad as minors, they risk being brainwashed,’’ said president Azali. When they first graduate from the University of Comoros, they become successful in many foreign universities by pursuing their doctoral and post-doctoral studies, adds the president and founder of the State University of Comoros.         

The University Institute of Technology located in Hamramba hosted a “Professional Integration Day” on Saturday, July 03, 2021. In his welcome speech, Mr. Ibouroi Ali Toibibou, the president of State University of Comoros reminded everyone’s responsibility when it comes to a successful professional integration: the trainer, the student and the government. According to the government Planning Commissioner, Mr. Fouad Goulam, a third of the Comorian population is made up of young people, and in its sustainable development strategy, the Comorian government wishes to have a trained, educated and responsible citizen. He said that the youth integration with or without diplomas is a project supported by many development partners working in the country.

Two “round tables” were set up during that Professional Integration Day to hold discussions between students and visiting professionals. The first round table entitled “Professional Integration” was chaired by the director general of Meck Moroni; Mrs. Sitti Said Hassane and Mr. Goulam. The second “ Innovation & Entrepreneurship ’’was chaired by Mr. Fahmi Thabit, an entrepreneur and former president of the Chamber of Commerce of Ngazidja, Mr. Chamsidine Tourqui, former director general of Meck Moroni, Ismael Bachirou, professor in Accounting at the University Institute of Technology and Communication professor Abdoulkarim as moderator.   

Some booths were held by students to give information about their projects. Afwad Ahmed Ali is from Hantsindzi, Mboinkuwu and Mohamed Mourchid is from Wela, Mitsamiouli. They are both 23years old and are Computer Science (GIF) alumni from the University Institute of Technology. They are proud to be active members of actic, the Comorian association of information and communication technology. Actic’s aim is to vulgarize the ICT in Comoros, fight against the digital divide and protect the consumers. Its social headquarter is located at Comorlab in Maluzini, Iconi. Ahmed and Mourchid are looking for jobs. Mourchid thinks that remote working is very useful in this time of Covid-19 and suggests Comorian women to be interested in ICT.

Some students whose Major is Commerce had also their booth. Their project was about commercialization of fishing products. According to them, 427 km of Comorian coastal are rich in sea foods, but are not exploited. Concerning the Management students (GEA), some of their presentations were related to the poultry-farming sector, litchi juice, vanilla, yoghurt, onions and potatoes farming. Sophomore students in Construction (Génie Civile) were really genius. They plan to build a steady private housing which can resist cyclones. The two floors building project consists of 8 rooms and costs KMF 174 million (€354,378). 

                                                 A demonstration given by sophomore students in Construction(Habitat)

Students in Statistics were working on a software program called Shiny. Their job was to assess poverty household prediction in Comoros. Ibrahim Boina was a guest of honor. He is program manager at UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund). He suggest some students in Statistics to tell the director general of the University Institute of Technology(IUT) to make a special request to his organization in order to get many data concerning the country in terms of Comorian population statistics. The census of the Comorian population of 1960, 1980, 1990, 2003 and 2017 are available, he said. Mr. Boina thinks that a data restitution workshop is necessary.

Last but not least, Students in Tourism had their booth promoting the Comoros. 

Let’s summarize what is said in the two round tables. Thabit thinks that to undertake is to identify problems and propose solutions. It is the only way to start as entrepreneur. For those who are looking for jobs, they should first know that a Job Center is available in Moroni to help them, said Goulam. 

July 03, 2021

Chami Mouzawar

Contributing writer

Remembering basketball legend Fundi Karnet

 

Remembering basketball legend Fundi Karnet 

Fundi Karnet (middle) at the women' race in the place of independence, 3rd March, 2014
 

I met Abdallah Ali Soilihi for the first time in the early 1970s at the French school known as ‘Catholic Mission’ school in Moroni. It was during a basketball show at our school.  We know each other since 1974. Mr. Ali Soilih was born in the city of Iconi in 1936. The young boy went to Madagascar to study. After his studies, he became one of the brilliant basketball players of his generation. He had played in several Malagasy basketball teams including the national team. He also did the French military service.

Ali Soilihi decided to visit his native land in 1966 with a Malagasy basketball team in order to demonstrate the basketball game to the teachers of the Comorian schools. He never returned to Madagascar. Ali Soilihi is well known as Fundi Karnet. He is the founding father of the introduction and emergence of the basketball in Comoros. As a teacher in the public service, Fundi Karnet has taught the basketball discipline to many students, especially at Said Mohamed Cheikh public high school in Moroni.  

As a coach of the national basketball team, he won the gold medal at the first Indian Ocean Islands Games held in the French island of la Reunion in 1979. Fundi Karnet was often slamming the other Comorian sporting federations which did nothing to improve and develop their disciplines. Nevertheless, he was always recognizing two ministers in charge of sports and youth. Said Mohamed Djohar persuaded him to come back home in 1966 in order to develop the basketball discipline. ‘‘Without Djohar, I would have stayed in France and become today a Je Viens,’’ he said.  Salim Idarousse has set up in the early 1980s the national institute of youth and sports known as INJS. The aim of that training center was to train technical young cadres in several sport disciplines.

In 1988, Fundi Karnet launched the Comorian federation of school and college sports known as FCSSU.  The federation has allowed many young Comorian sportsmen and sportswomen to attend and participate in international sporting events. In 2011, while Africa celebrates the 50^th anniversary of the introduction of basketball in the African continent, the Comorian federation of basketball decorated some former Comorian basketball players. Fundi Karnet, then aged of 75 years old got a certificate of recognition for his services to the country. ‘’I am glad to be awarded today in front of these young people and the Comorian authorities for all I did for the development of the Comorian basketball,’’ he said.    

Fund Karnet was also decorated the same year with the Green Crescent known as ‘Anjouan Star’, the highly national distinction by President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi. In his city of Iconi, a basketball court has been named after him since September 1999. Fundi Karnet was always optimistic about the Comorian sport. ‘’Got them sporting scholarships and train the athletes of tomorrow, ‘’ he said. He passed away on 21 January 2021 at the age of 85. Fundi karnet had married Amina Kafani in Majunga.  He got two children who live in France and six grandchildren.    

Fundi Karnet was friendly with many people of different ages. He also had a great sense of humor. When I met him and after the usual greetings, he always asked me this question: do you regret to live in Comoros instead of living abroad? Not at all, I always replied. And he tells me this story. Once upon a time, a guy was driving his car heading to Iconi. When he saw me, he stopped.  ‘‘Get in the car because we regret to stay in France, ‘’ the man said ironically. He told me that the guy did his traditional Great Marriage and owned several properties like many members of the Comorian diaspora.

26 January 2021

Contributing writer

Chami Mouzawar