Bahoneza – Kinyarwanda, Rwanda Welfare, Social Welfare, Rwanda People, Nutrition and Diet, Rwanda Habitat, Living in Kigali

The residents of Bisika village in Mpanda cell in Byimana sector, Ruhango District have been applauded for the need to support genocide survivors even though there is no 1994 genocide survivor residing in this village.

During the closure of the memorial week on Saturday the 13^th.April.2013, the residents of Bisika village collected about Rwf110.000 and gave it to the executive secretary of Mpanda cell Sothene Habarurema to be given to vulnerable genocide survivors in another village.

Bisika residents in a gathering

Abaturage ba bashimiwe cyane uruhare bagaragaje mu bikorwa byo gufasha abatishoboye barokotse jenoside

“It was gratifying to receive this money and seeing the motivation of Bisika village residents to support the genocide survivors in this period” said the executive secretary of Mpanda cell. This money was added to other collected money and they bought small bulls and gave them to Antoine Nashamaje and Bosco genocide survivors in this cell.

Jean Marie Nahayo The executive secretary of Byimana sector says “this is a sign of a big step taken by people towards unity and reconciliation taken by Rwandans.”

Apart from financial support given by Bisika village, residents of this village participated fully in the reconstruction of Byimana memorial site. The reconstruction involved taking off the tree fence and putting in place a brick fence and cleaning it.

Jean Marie Nahayo says “for the Byimana memorial site to be fully reconstructed, these residents participated fully. The basic renovation work required Rwf2.5 million but it was instead constructed worth2.4 million with Rwf1million from the district and the remaining Rwf1.4 was contributed by people in this sector.”

For Bisika village to be having no single genocide survivors is because even before the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis, there were no Tutsi residents in the village.

In the general monthly community work that was done on the 28^th.July.2012, the youth in different associations in Nyamasheke Youth Friends Center (NYFC) with the support of this center helped a poor old lady called Kamagaju.

The Elderly Lady is said to be suffering from Epilepsy and was burned many times due to this disease. She has expressed her gratitude to the Youth who chose to repair her house.

Kamagaju had a 2 bed rooms and a sitting room house of which one of the bedrooms fell apart, the youth renovated this house and cleared this bedroom which had fell. Helping people through community work is one of the things that NYFC teaches the youth in its lessons of patriotism and playing a role to rebuild the country as Janvier Ndanga the coordinator of NYFC explained.

He went on to say that youth decided to always do the community work alone and help one of the poor people in labour work every month though they wish to do it twice a month so that theycan do something tangible in rebuilding the country and the management of NYFC is looking for a way to make their wish implemented.

Because of lack of enough funds, this youth started with their immediate neighbours and those in far sectors will be attended when they get a way to do so. Ndanga told the youth that they should see where the government is going to and then play a role towards making it better since they are many and are capable of working.

He also asked parents to let their children to come to the center after doing their allocated chores to get some teachings about their health and to be taught how to work.

After the community work, the youth were taught about how they can protect themselves from Sexual Transmitted Diseases and AIDS, to prevent unwanted pregnancies, drugs and others that would be dangerous to their health.

 Baho Neza Mwana center in Kamembe sector in Rusizi district has contributed to better life among former street children in Rusizi District who confirm to be very well cared for and attended to, different from former life when they spent days and nights on empty stomachs.

According to the children who claimed their happiness on 16^th July 2012, some of the reasons that led them to streets were extended families and being in much poverty; why they decided to look for survival on streets

Claudette Mukarurangwa the director of Baho Neza Mwana center said that this center was initiated by Rwanda AID project with the support of Rusizi district in a way of protecting children’s rights. She said that most of these children are offspring of prostitutes and their fathers do not even know of their existence.

This center has about 31 street children all from Rusizi district and it was opened on the 9^th.April.2012. There are still children in streets of Rusizi district though and Mukarurangwa says this is due to the fact that some children do not want to leave streets; they take them to the center and break through come back to the streets. This center takes in children under 16 years of age only.

Through a charity initiative by MTN call center agents dubbed One Agent One Orphan, a team of MT Call Center agents together with MTN Chief Customer operations, visited a genocide orphans in Nyenyeri Village, Rubengera Sector in Karongi district.

In event that took place late April 2012, so the team offering households worth 2Million Rwandan Francs to the youth whose parents were killed during the horrible 1994 genocide against Tutsi.

Of the offered, there are eats, drinks, soaps, basins and beddings among many more all in an initiative done by James John Ukwigize an MTN caller center agent and later forwarded the idea to MTN bosses and his colleagues.

Of the offered, 60percent are contributions made by call center agents themselves where as 40% came from the MTN Company coffers.

Karongi, Vice Mayor in charge of Social affairs Dative Mukabarisa Simbi while appreciating the initiative said that “I thank you very much for this initiative. You did it, not because your richer than many, it is simply due being wholly hearted.”

“You are well aware that the government alone cannot manage all problems facing Rwandans, thus each time a group like yours does something like this, you contribute a lot to your country.” Explained the Vice Mayor.

MTN Senior Manager Customer Operations, Norman Munyampundu said that their intention is to expand their initiative past just call center agents to encompass more other Rwandans of different walks of life.

“We promise to do advocacy for, and encourage you to study hard and we will endeavor to assist you in all ways possible.” Added Munyampundu

Nyenyeri Village is composed of 31 orphan families totaling to 47 children.

Karongi district Vice-Mayor Dativa Mukabalisa Simbi

Karongi district has promised support to survivors of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis during the handover of households support by MTN Rwanda’s call center agents late last week.

Speaking to the survivors and MTN call center agents, Karongi Vice-Mayor in charge of social affairs said that the survivors’ housing problem is known by district officials and is being planned for.

The Vice Mayor promised that plans of re innovating and building news houses for the genocide survivors are under way citing example of Nyereri settlement for the survivors that was built by the district in Rubengera Sector Karongi district.

Most of Karongi genocide survivors’ houses were built in a very short period leaving their structural shaky as they were built primarily to solve the then housing problem of survivors.

Felicien Nsabimana a Guardian of Karongi Orphans thanked MTN-Rwanda for their support and explained the difficult life that Orphans go through pointing out housing as one of the bigger challenges.

Gicumbi residents were advised not to peel potatoes before cooking them because the layer that is peeled is very rich in nutrients that would be good for the body.

According to Jeanne Mukamusoni the head of nutrition center in Bwisige health center, the coverings of the potatoes are very nutritious and peeling them is destroying them.

She went on to explain that the rich content of the potatoes is between the outer layer and the other parts of it. She explained that a person should wash well these potatoes and cook them and then remove the outer layer very careful and then eat them.

She said that if it is possible, people should use water that was used to cook potatoes and not sieve it to throw it away because it is also rich with nutrients.

Potatoes that should not be peeled before cooking are sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes and yams; they all have nutrients in a layer that is almost under the cover.

Consolle Mukantwari a health advisor in Bwisige sector said that people need to be told much about how to prepare certain things since some people don’t know that they are spoiling what would be the most important part of food.

Minister of health Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, has paid a visit at Izere social center, a center meant to provide nutritious food to disadvantaged children in Gicumbi district- Nyamiyaga sector.

The Minister’s travel that meant to sensitize citizens to engage in animal husbandry took place on 15^th February 2012.

Father Bonaventure Ufiteyezu said that with the help of such agricultural projects, they are able to provide nutritious food to children with nutritional deficiency. “We freely provide nutrient rich breakfast and lunch to a number of children everyday” says the Catholic Priest.

“Such animal husbandry projects are so much helpful. We have noted tremendous health improvements by a number of children who join us when they are health wise deprived, but after a few days, they are okay.” Explains Beatrice Mukamurara (a cook at Izere)

Minister Binagwaho thanked Father Ufiteyezu for such a charity initiative and also encouraged him to sensitize citizens into engaging in animal husbandry projects since they alleviate children from nutritional deficiencies.

Mu gihe mu mirenge ya Rukomo na Mukama mu Karere ka Nyagatare batangiye gutanga ibyangombwa by’ubutaka  bya burundu , abakozi b’Ikigo cy’igihugu cy’ubutaka bashinzwe gutanga ibyo byangombwa mu Kagali ka Gashenyi ho mu Murenge wa rukomo baravuga ko  ibyangombwa  bibarirwa muri 400 bitazatangwa kuko byagaragayemo amakosa yo kuba byaragiye bibarurwa mu midugudu inyuranye n’iy’ubutaka burimo, hakaba hari n’ibigifite ibibazo by’amakimbirane.

Umukozi w’ikigo cy’igihugu cy’ubutaka, Mujaweyezu Vestine, watanganga ibyangombwa by’ubutaka bya burundu muri ako Kagali ka avuga ko gutanga ibi byangombwa muri Gashenyi bigomba kurangira tariki ya 28 Ukuboza 2011, mu byangombwa 2844 bigomba gutangwa bamaze gutanga ibirenga gato ku 1600. Mujaweyezu avuga ko abona abaturage batabyitabiriye nk’uko byari biteganijwe kuko ngo bigaragara ko hasigaye benshi kandi bari ku musozo.

Uyu mukozi w’ikigo cy’ubutaka akomeza avuga ko banahuye n’imbogamizi zitandukanye zirimo izijyanye no kuba Akarere ka Nyagatare kari kumupaka hakaba hari abambuka bakigira mu gihugu cya Uganda uko bishakiye kandi batarabona ibyangombwa by’ubutaka bya burundu. Yagize ati “Ujya kubona ukabona umugore aje wenyine ngo aje gufata ibyangombwa wamubaza impamvu atazanye n’umugabo akakubwira ngo yagiye Uganda.” Mujaweyezu avuga ko abafite ibibazo nk’ibyo badahabwa ibyangombwa kuko amabwiriza avuga ko abafatanyije ubutaka bagomba kujyana gusinyira icyangombwa cy’ubutaka cya burundu.

Ikindi kibazo kizitira itangwa ry’ubutaka ngo n’icy’abaza kwaka ibyangombwa bya burundu barataye ibyangombwa by’agateganyo bari barahawe kandi baba bagomba kubyerekana mbere yo guhabwa ibya burundu. Umukozi ushinzwe ubukungu n’imibereho myiza y’abaturage mu Kagali ka Gashenyi, Umulisa Marie Claire, avuga ko abafite ibibazo nk’ibi babaha impapuro bajya gusinyisha kuri sitasiyo ya Polisi ya Gatunda rugaragaza ko babitaye noneho bakabona kubaha icyangombwa cya Burundi. Agira ati “ibi na byo usanga byaradindije imitangire y’ibyangombwa.”

Abakozi bashinzwe gutanga ibyangombwa by’ubutaka muri aka kagali bavuga ko bahawe igihe kingana n’ukwezi kutarenga ngo babe barangije gutanga ibyangombwa. Icyo gihe ngo kikaba kizarangira kuri uyu wa 28 Ukuboza 2011 ngo abazaba batarabibona bakazabifatira ku Karere.

Les parents du district de Bugesera ont été appelés à combattre  les maladies liées à la malnutrition dans le cadre des enseignements prévus dans les écoles des parents de chaque centre de santé de ce district.

On leur enseigne comment préparer les repas nutritifs au moyen des produits alimentaires disponibles dans leurs régions.

Twagirumukiza Jean Claude, l’infirmier supérieur du centre de santé de Mwogo,  a déclaré que les médecins du district de Bugesera se sont convenus d’éradiquer les maladies liées à la malnutrition grâce aux produits alimentaires disponibles.

« De par les jardins potagers, nous devons aussi leur enseigner la diététique avec les moyens disponibles », a t-il déclaré. Selon lui, ces enseignements sont donnés par des infirmiers expérimentés surtout les responsables d’écoles des parents dans ce district.

L’un des enseignements concerne la façon de préparer la bouillie à l’aide de différentes farines de maïs, de sorgho, de blé, du soja, de haricots où la majorité croit qu’ils sont  comestibles seulement.

L’autre enseignement au programme serait comment préparer des légumes aux enfants à l’aide des feuilles de patate douce, des feuilles d’igname ou de feuilles de pomme de terre, qui s’ajoutent aux légumes connus.

Mutesi Diane, une infirmière du centre de santé de Musenyi, affirme que les invitations aux parents de ce secteur ont été données et espèrent que ces enseignements donneront des résultats tangibles. Cette infirmière a poursuivi que toutes les maisons de Musenyi ont des jardins potagers  procurant des produits alimentaires riches en vitamines.