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

A sixty (60) year elderly man François Xavier Habiyakare, a residence of Tabagwe sector- Nyagatare District is reported to provide milk among his neighbours in a move to join the Government in the war against malnutrition; a social development he is proud of.

The old man was given a cow in local health advisors programme called “Gira inka Mujyanama. According to the cooperative Habiyakare was given an expectant cow that is now giving him about 10 litres of milk a day of which he sells 2 litres and the remaining 8 litres is distributed among the neighbours to fight malnutrition and kwashiorkor among the children.

During the celebration of the achievements of the health advisors of Tabagwe sector on the 31stAug.2012, Habiyakare gave them an example of a woman who recently gave birth in their village and he promised to provide them with one litre of milk per day.

Since this cow is milked 5 litres in the morning and 5 in the night, Habiyakare gives the morning milk to children, who bring grasses to the cow and for the evening and the milk in the evening he sells the 2 litres and remains with 3 litres for his family of 8 members.

He is grateful for this cow for providing good health to his family and his neighbours and he was able to get the 24.000francs to pay for mutuelle de santé medical insurance for all members of his family thanks to this cow.

Apart from improving the social welfare of his family members and his neighbours and being able to pay for the medical insurance of his family, Habiyakare says that this cow has boosted his farming production.

With the manure the cow provides, his production has increased tr4emendously as in the garden he used to get 1sack of maize production, he was able to harvest 5 sacks of maize production this time after using manure. Habiyakare intends to take good care of this cow to make other small projects that can develop him.

Gerard Habiyambere a man with a wife and 8 children, resident of Hindiro sector in Ngororero District has told Newsmen on 31^st July 2012 that he will give a cow to President Paul Kagame to show his gratitude.

 The man says the President had given him a chance he never had in all of his life when he gave him a cow during his visit to residents of Ngororero district on the 15^th.February.2012.

Habiyambere who had no single animal in his home before he was given by the president now has 3 cows including one that he got from the president and its calf and another one he bought himself after finding out the advantages of rearing cows, 2 sheep and 1 goat.

He followed the advice given by the president speaking on the radio that people should stop living in valleys and live in village settlements so as to get infrastructure services and he got a plot there and with the help of his children and different support build a house in the village settlement.

After being the first one to settle in the village settlement and was had a cow from the president, he got the courage to work hard and he bought another cow, 2 sheep and 1 goat but all is thanks to the president who opened his gate by giving him a chance he had not dreamt of in all his life that is to become a farmer.

Apart from vowing to give the president a cow back, he participates in Girinka program by giving to the neighbors and he goes around sensitizing people to join him in the village settlement so as to get electricity.

The courage he has and his actions got him the favor of his neighbors and he was elected to become the village leader another dream he never had because of his poverty.

People who know him including the administrators of the sector he resides in say that he has plans for a better future and he wants to go with his neighbors along.

You are your own judge to know among the children is their elders

Although Rwanda and literally the whole world is fighting for gender balance and women rights, Vestine Kayitesi a mother of triplets and other two children from Munyiginya sector Rwamagana district has nowhere to go.

 This follows the man she claims to be the father of her children Daniel Bagaragaza denied to have any relationship with the victim.

Vestine accuses accuses the official of Munyiginya sector for erasing her name from the list of poor people who suppose to receive help by the government for not sharing with them what she is previously offered for by the government.

Kayitesi claims to have bore the triplets to Bagaragaza but he denies because the children are many yet he cannot afford to take care of them.

She is currently being helped by good Samaritans in her neighbourhood village of Nyagahanga.

The executive secretary of Munyiginya sector David Bahumwire says the victim was removed from the list of the vulnerable after being offered money to buy land and she was even given a cow to develop herself but she refuses to work and expects to always be helped which is not possible.

The head of the program that supports the vulnerable in the ministry of local government Justin Gatsinzi said that every year anew selection is made for people who should be supported depending on the economic situation of the person.

However, Vestine insists that she was removed from the list just because she did not share with the authorities at the sector offices. That she is only left with 1000 francs at her SACCO account from the money she was given and she is very worried of her life after spending the 1000 francs.

Kayitesi has five children in total whereby two elder ones were born to the man who passed away whereas the other triplets are for Daniel who refused to support her to raise them.

She wants district officials to solve her problem since lower level leaders are not helping her.