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

The local mediators that work in Ruhango sector in Ruhango district asked the government to increase the number of cards for their medical insurance (Mituelle de santé) .

These mediators say that the government had agreed to give them the insurance for 5 people and now they find that 5 arent enough because sometimes one mediator has a family of more than 5 people as Yohana Nyaminani a mediator in Gikoma cell said.

They say that sometimes when their family members fall sick, they fail to go to the health centers yet the government had agreed to give them medical insurance. They spend the whole time solving people’s cases which are many and especially about inheritance and land and fail to work for themselves.

“we don’t get enough time to care our for our family issues and much less to work for money to buy medical insurances for our our families.” said yo Bahoneza

Innocent Habimana a worker in the Ministry of Justice that connects mediators and the local people in Ruhango district said that mediators are given cards for 3 children and their parents and they usually come on time.

He promised to advocate for these mediators so as to be given more medical insurance cards so that they continue doing their work which is as i9mportant in solving people’s problems.

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.

Rwanda as a developing country has lately not been affected by big numbers of suicide according to available police statistics. However, from time to time, cases of suicide have been reported around the country which police thinks can be averted if timely advise is sought and provided.

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death. It is often committed because of many factors such as despair which may be caused by depression, alcoholism and drug abuse.

It could also be caused by poverty or financial difficulties, poor interpersonal relationships, loneliness, unemployment and poor mental health.

Global statistics show that, over one million people die by suicide every. It is the 13th leading cause of death.

While there might be different causes of suicide in developed and developing countries, the statistics apply to both.

Consequences brought about by suicide are far reaching. It affects families of the deceased in who remain in poverty, causes prostitution, school dropouts, drug abuse and delinquency.

Despite the few cases in Rwanda, they occur sporadically. For instance last week on Thursday in Huye district, Mbazi sector, Mwurire cell, Ananias Makuza, 61, committed suicide by drinking rat poison.

He died at a health center where he was being treated .The cause was reported as the shame caused by his mother in law who found him committing adultery in the trench on the road side.

In Musanze district, Gataraga sector, Rungu cell, Callixte Habamenshi, 49, also committed suicide by drinking poison. He died upon his arrival at Ruhengeri hospital. Investigationsto this cause are still on.

According to police, local leaders have a mandate to identify and follow up on people with problems that may lead to suicide and advise them in time before they take their lives.

It also calls on troubled people to seek advice by approaching authorities or reporting to the nearest Police station instead of using their own ways of solving problems by causing more complexities.

Selling cooked beans has become common in most centres of Ruyenzi cell Runda sector in Kamonyi district to an extent that most residents no longer cook beans at home.

During the evening, a lot of women or children line up at where cooked beans are sold with empty dishes.

One woman who had come to buy beans revealed to us that cooked beans eases their cooking activities.

“Cooking beans takes time and much charcoal. Because I spend the whole day at work, I get no time to cook beans. I am happy about this plan because my family now eats beans often.”

Most people in this place come from other districts but reside in this place to look for work, so they spend all day toiling with no time to cook beans.

According to the one selling beans, this kind of business has just started in Ruyenzi because clients were always asking about it. “In order to answer their questions, we started cooking beans for them and business is booming.”

She explains that she sells over four kilograms of beans and she charges Rwf100 for quarter of a cup while a half of a litter cup is sold at Rwf150.

Those who buy beans reveal that they increase the quantity by adding vegetables into the beans and other flavours.

Youth at Byimana centre relaxing on playing cards     

The youth at Byimana sector Ruhango district use playing cards as a way of leisure and keeping themselves busy to avoid being taken up with bad habits like alcoholism, drugs and theft.

The youth are always stationed in the trading centre of Byimana playing cards be it morning hours or evening time.

One of the youth in Byimana trading centre Sam Mujyanama says they at times get part time work but when it is done they just spend the whole day in the trading center playing cards waiting for anyone who can come looking for them in case there is work to do anywhere.

Sam Mujyanama revealed that playing cards keeps their minds busy not to think very much and may be lose hope when they are idle and get involved in bad habits.

Mujyanama continues to explain that playing cards is not a bad game like most people take it to be unless it is being used for gambling.

Nyamagabe district authorities have announced the intention to crackdown on all idlers and street children seen in the towns and trading centers with an aim of rehabilitating them and equiping them with skills.

They are seen smoking near the market every morning

The Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs Emile Byiringiro says that the problem of idlers comes up every time there is a security meeting which shows that they are a threat to security efforts.

“We have always called upon the idlers to look for jobs and get off the streets and also form associations, those who heeded our advice did so, but the problem is that new others are coming in,” said Byiringiro.

But he says that with the help of security agencies, they hope to do away with the problem in the shortest time possible.

The biggest number of idlers are children under the age of twelve who runa away from their homes. The strong ones live off carrying people’s luggage while others move around begging for money from sympathizers. At night they are found on the road sides and verandas sleeping on boxes.

Some of these children say that the main reason for running away from home is abject poverty or domestic violence.