Musenyeri ashyikiriza umwe mu bagabiwe inka

Kuva gahunda ya Girinka yatangira mu mwaka wa 2006  itangijwe na Prezida wa Repubulika, paul kagame abaturage bagabiwe inka bitura bagenzi babo kugira ngo nabo babashe gutunga bave mu bukene. Abaturage bo mu Murenge wa Cyabingo bakaba bituye inka 17 tariki 14/05/2013.

Iyi gahunda ya Girinka yafashije abantu batishoboye bava mu bukene aho inka bagabiwe zabahaye amafaranga ava ku mukamo, ubuhinzi bwabo butera imbere kuko bahinga bakabona ifumbire.

Ikindi,  kubera kubona amata byatumye  abaturage baca ukubiri n’indwara ziterwa n’imirire mibi nka bwaki yari yugarije Abanyarwanda batari bake.

Nzabantekereza Marie Therese w’imyaka 52, umujyanama w’ubuzima uhagarariye abandi ku Kigo Nderabuzima cya Cyabingo wavuze mu izina ry’abagabiwe bose  ashimangira ko  gahunda ya Girika yagize uruhare rukomeye mu mu murenge wa Cyabingo mu guca bwaki.

Yifashishije imibare, Nzabantekereza agaragaza ko uko gahunda ya girinka yakangaye bwaki. Ngo mu mwaka  wa 2009  habarurwaga abana 1450 bafite imirire mbibi yoroheje n’abana 209 bafite imirire mibi ikabije none muri 2013 hasigaye 5 n’umwe uri mu mutuku.

Musenyeneri wa Diyoseze ya Ruhengeri, nyiricybahiro Hororimana Vincent witabiriye uyu muhango asanga ubuyobozi bufite ubushake bwo kurwanya ubukene, akangurira abaturage kubushyigikira.

Ubuyobozi bw’akarere ka Burera busaba abaturage bo muri ako karere ko abubaka amazu maremare cyangwa se ahuriramo n’abantu benshi, kuyashyira ho uturindankuba kugira ngo barinde abateraniramo gukubitwa n’inkuba.

Mu karere ka Burera hakunze kugaragara imirabyo myinshi mu gihe cy’imvura akenshi n’inkuba zikubita abantu. Ibyo kubera ko akarere ka Burera kari ahantu hatumburutse hagizwe n’imisozi miremire cyane.

Akenshi iyo ari mu gihe cy’imvura, muri ako karere inkuba zikunze gukubita abantu biturutse ku kutamenya kuzirinda.

Sembagare Samuel, umuyobozi w’akarere ka Burera, asaba abakuriye insengero, abafite amazu ateranira mo abantu benshi kuyashyira ho uturindankuba byihuse.

Akomeza avuga ko kandi hari amabwiriza leta y’u Rwanda yashyize ho azatuma abaturage birinda inkuba. Amwe muri ayo mabwiriza harimo ko bibujijwe gukoresha mudasobwa, telefone ndetse n’ibindi bikoresho bikoresha amashanyarazi igihe imvura iri kugwa.

Muri ayo mabwiriza kandi harimo ko bibujijwe kugama munsi y’igiti mu gihe imvura irimo igwa.

Abahanga mu bijyanye n’inkuba bavuga ko inkuba ari nk’umuriro w’amashanyarazi. Ituruka ku ngufu zo mu kirere nazo ziba zaturutse ku ihurirana ry’umwuka ukonje n’ushyushye.

Izo ngufu hari igihe zishaka kumanuka mu butaka, zigashaka inzira nko mu giti kirekire, inzu ndende cyangwa se ahandi hantu hari amazi. Aho izo ngufu zinyuze zirahangiza kuko ziba zifite ubukana bwinshi.

Rugera sector is one of the 12 sectors that make Nyabihu district in the western province and residents of this sector were given cows by HPI (Heifers Program International) and those cows reproduced and these 32 cows were given to the poor on the 3^rd.Aug.2012.

The 32 cows were given to selected women in vulnerable families in this sector so as to get them out of poverty and to improve the social welfare of their families and to boost their farming through getting manure daily.

Elise Uwonkunda’s family that resides in Kirehe village was given a cow to rear and with much excited with her family members, they are sure that this cow will improve their social welfare and give them manure to boost their farming and give them means to fight poverty.

People who were given cows said it is very important to take their gratitude to the person who initiated Girinka program and HPI project for giving them a chance to own cows and saving their families from malnutrition and poverty. They promised to take good care of these cows and to give to those without once they reproduce.

Angela Mukaminani the vice mayor for finance and economic development in Nyabihu district thanked HPI for giving cows to people which is an objective of Rwanda government to support residents in fighting against poverty. He asked them to protect those cows and to think of their neighbors when they reproduce so as to break the cycle of poverty with the cycle of togetherness.

The Kirehe Community Based Watershed Management Project (KWAMP) with the support of Kirehe district have given out 60 cows to Rwandans in Nyamugari sector, who have been expelled  from Tanzania , the  support was on  1^st.Aug.2012.

These Rwandans who were sent away from Tanzania are presently residents of Nyamugari sector in Kirehe, according to the vice mayor for social affairs in the area Jacqueline Murekatete.

They were asked to take good care of these cows and she reminded them that if these cows reproduce, they will be able to get milk for their families, get school fees and medical insurances for their families and in improving their social welfares.

Gasasira Janvier the coordinator of KWAMP asked those who were given cows to feed them well for better milk production and they appreciated said that they lost their cattle in Tanzania and now they back to becoming farmers which will improve their social lives as Marie Mukagashugi who resides in Bukinanyana village  happily confirmed.

André Kagabo who is in charge of Girinka program on the National level said that they have distributed more than 133,000 cows to the people in this program in the whole country and in Kirehe district only about 7,091 cows were given.

Cows that were given to these Rwandans returnees are of Jersey breed from South Africa and one cow is worth Rwf1.2million and about 300 goats to provide milk were also brought with these cows to Kirehe district.

Some of the vulnerable families in Muyira sector have been  given cows in a way of helping them fight diseases resulting from  poor diets, the help also aims at providing  manure for boosting farming; the event was on 2^nd August 2012

The cows that were given to people were 31 and were given by those who decided to return a favour to the president of the republic who gave them cows by giving to their neighbours in Girinka program after theirs reproduced.

Marie Igenukwayo who gave a cow to her neighbour said that Girinka program gives people hope to move towards vision 2020 where everyone will be having a cow and no one will be affected by poor eating habits.

“I have given this cow with much happiness and I want my neighbour to have milk for his family and manure for his farming to promote his social welfare.” Marie Igenukwayo explained.

Specoise Mukantabana who resides in Nyundo cell in Muyira sector who was given a cow said “I thank the leaders of this country who always think about their subjects’ development because if it wasn’t like that, I wouldn’t be called a farmer all my life as I do not even have a goat of my own.”

These cows will promote their lives by getting milk, manure for their farms and they were warned not to sell these cows or neglecting them which would be fatal as Clement Gasore the executive secretary of Muyira sector said.

Augustin Kampayana, Chairman of Rural Settlement Task Force in the Ministry of Local Government

Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) has urged district mayors in Western Province to start using roof tiles and bricks in village settlement program.

Augustin Kampayana, Chairman of Rural Settlement Task Force in the Ministry of Local Government during the national meeting on village settlement program asserted that the government has started the program of using roof tiles because iron sheets are expensive and not durable. 

Kampayana emphasizes the use of roof tiles and bricks in village settlement program because they are cheap and available in Rwanda.

Kampayana adds that if roof tiles are made in Rwanda, employment will be created especially for youth in job creation program.

Minaloc official narrates: “Youth, women and girls earn money when they make roof tiles in their cooperatives. In addition, roof tiles are durable, they can be painted for a new look when old and can be reused after shifting to another place.”

“The government of Rwanda plans to reduce on the money on building materials imported like iron sheets since they cannot be used in roofing twice due to nail holes,” he adds.

Augustin Kampayana explains thatching with roof tiles is not a law but a measure taken by the government in order to improve village settlement program using permanent, local and cheap building materials.

It is on the same purpose that every district was given machines that make roof tiles and bricks although there is no soil for such activity in some places like district near Lake Kivu in Western Province.

Kampayana says the above problem should not stop the implementation of the village settlements because materials can be imported if necessary or use wood and roof houses.

Girinka program in Nyabihu district has taken a bigger step as on the 25^th.July.2012 in Mukamira sector where about 30 cows have been given to the poor and the 1994 genocide against Tutsi survivors; reports Eugene Shingiro the veterinarian in the area.

Among the 30 cows that were given out, 12 are from the poor who were given before who decided to give to their neighbors, 15 of them are from Girinka association and 3 were bought from the money that was given for the support of the 1994 genocide survivors who are poor during the memorial period.

Angela Mukaminani the vice Mayor for finance and economic development in Nyabihu District who attended this function asked those who were given cows to protect them and take good care of them and to give to their neighbors when they reproduce and keep up the process of Girinka Munyarwanda and to use them well and promote their social welfare, fight against poverty and attain development.

Those who were given cows including Ruziga and Munyakabango said that they will do everything possible to protect their cows and to give their neighbors in the future and to use them to get out of poverty and to improve their social lives by eating well by getting manure to boost their farming.

In the last economic year 2012/2013, Nyabihu district gave out 721 cows in Girinka program and they had vowed to give out 500 cows and in this economic year 2012/2013 which started in June.2012, 66 cows have already been given out.

To maintain hygiene and eat balanced foods, a program to promote health sector was established and measures to prevent malnutrition and poor hygiene related diseases were taken.

Residents have been sensitized to have kitchen gardens and health officials were trained to better protect the lives of residents.

Agakono k’umudugudu program promotes healthy eating in families

A school “agakono k’umudugudu” throughout 473 sectors of Nyabihu was set up where parents learn how to prepare balanced diet, explains Pierre Dusenge in charge of health in Nyabihu district.

Dusenge reveals that 316 kitchen gardens were made to help parents get fresh vegetables rich in vitamins to prepare balanced foods and fight malnutrition.

On children development program, children in 12 sectors of the district are weighed to record the weight and their physical growth is monitored by 1792 community health workers, Dusenge denotes

Pierre Dusenge adds that Directors of health centre and Nyabihu district administration signed performance contracts to care about the health of the residents and to do their work efficiently.

About 40 poor families of genocide survivors and other marginalized communities in Byimana sector- Ruhango District received cows as a support from Bureau Social de development, the contribution was made on 18^th.June.2012.

Mukamana Agnes after getting her cow

These families thanked the President of the Republic Paul Kagame who initiated girinka program to improve the social welfare and the health of Rwandans.

They also said that they are no longer going to be affected by eating poor eating habits as they will get milk and manure to boost their crops production.

“To me it is like a dream, I now have 54 years and apart from me, no single person in my family has ever owned a cow but now I have one” said Leonard Ruyigirana one of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi who was given a cow.

Leonard Ruyigirana

Yohana Mutungirehe a historically marginalized and who was given a cow said that he got a boost to fight poverty he has been leaving in for a very long time. He had been waiting patiently to also be given a cow like others in this program and asked those who are not yet given to wait patiently because they will get them.

One of the marginalized who was given a cow

Prudence Karamira the executive secretary in Bureau Social de development said that they give cows to the poor families but who are able to care and feed them.

Jean Marie Nahayo the executive secretary of Byimana sector warned families who are given cows and sell them and if any one does sell the cow, he/she will be punished accordingly instead asked them to take care of them so that if they multiply they give to their neighbours.

The administrative of Gatsibo District council has continued togive cows to the 1994 genocide against Tutsi survivors in Girinka program on behalf of FARG so as to ensure their social welfare.

On the 8^th.June.2012, about 12 cows were given to people in Kiramuruzi, Murambi, Muhura and Gasange sectors and were meant to replace cows that were rejected by district administration  because they never fulfilled the required criteria like having 50percent of the type of cows with enough milk production like Friesian cows, being pregnant and having more than 250 Kgs as the veterinarian of Gatsibo district Dr. Erneste Nsigaye explained.

Gatsibo district prepared to give out 25 cows in 2012 and in 2011, 40 cows were given out to the poor and genocide survivors and they were asked to take good care of those cows by feeding them well, drugging them on time and finding them good and clean kraals and to give to their neighbours when they multiply.

Those to get cows are chosen in their villages depending on the most poor among themselves, this will improve their social welfare with time as cows will increase and rotate among people to the extent that everyone will own a cow. Eating habits will be good, good production in farming through use of manure, and a change in economic statuses.

People who are not yet given cows were asked to remain patient as the program is still in process and only pregnant cows are being given so they will give birth soon and be rotated around.