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

Rwandans from the Twa community in Busanze sector- Nyaruguru District say they are poor because government development programs like agricultural development are not well communicated in their place.

On the issue that Girinka program as one of agricultural programmes in the country has not yet benefited the Twa, Fabien Niyitegeka, vice mayor for economic affairs in the District remarks that government programs do not discriminate but meant for all vulnerable residents of Rwanda.

Niyitegeka adds that Twa community are being prepared and trained to handle other better projects for their environment like piggery and chicken farming.

Nyaruguru district authorities say they are organizing projects that will promote social development among the Twa.

Some residents of Gatunda in Busanze sector reveal they depend on pottery which is not earning much in this generation.

Asiteriya Mukankusi explains pottery is heredity and they cannot quit doing it without another activity to give them small money for home use.

Mukankusi adds: “We are very poor and in need to develop but pot making can never get us anywhere. If we get land for cultivation and animal keeping, we can be better.”

Nyaruguru vice mayor stresses that most of the problems Twa people have are based on negative attitude. Its in that order that a health worker will be assigned to care for their social affairs and to help change their mindset.

Members of the forum for the blind (Rwanda Union of The Blind) have received cattle from Ngoma District Vice Mayor for social affairs following testimonies that not being understood spoils their opportunities to participate in government programs.

The assistance should be delivered through local authorities, according to the meeting of 24^th.July.2012 in Ngoma district when the forum for the blind met district leaders including sectors’ executive secretaries and the workers of Ngoma district.

As the representatives of this forum explained, they never participated in popular programs like Girinka Munyarwanda because local leaders never considered them saying that they cannot care of cows because they are blind and some who were given cows were taken away again saying they are not capable of rearing cows.

It was shown that blind people can do everything like studying, farming, and work and this was confirmed by the testimonies that were given by blind people who have university education and many people were surprised including Providence Kirenga the vice mayor for social affairs in Ngoma district who said that he never thought a blind person can rear and take care of cattle.

As a sign that he understood that the blind people can do everything including animal husbandry, Providence Kirenga accepted to give goats to each member of the blind association that is newly started in Zaza and Karembo sectors before the end of 2012.

Jacques Mugisha, who is doing his dissertation in the National University of Rwanda in journalism, is blind and gave a discussion about the step the association of the blind Ubumwe and the blind have taken like studying and doing other kind of works. He said that the only thing they are not capable of seeing but they can do everything else.

“We go to school and perform well and some of us studied animal husbandry and we spend 6 months in Masaka center being trained about doing different chores like ironing, making beds and rearing cattle.” Jacques Mugisha explained.

Another blind fellow called William gave a discussion about how the blind participate in competitions like football, other sports and other forms of entertainment. He said that in the limitations they usually meet with is lack of understanding in people which makes them be abused in many things and their rights not being fulfilled like other Rwandans.

The blind people in Rwanda has a forum called Rwanda Union of The Blind (RUB) and they have already achieved many things including advocating for people living with disabilities and caring about the blind by visiting their associations and those in schools.

The first blind person in Rwanda went to the university in 2008.

While the modern market awaits completion, street hawkers have been given a temporary market in Rwabayanga to quit Butare town streets.

Although they pay no taxes for this market place, hawkers still run to work on streets saying they make no sales in the market.

Apart from a few shoe and clothing sellers, others went back to street a few days after building stalls.

Olive Musabyimana, fruits hawker in Butare town narrates: “We come to the market in the morning but when we fail to make sales by afternoon, we risk losing our stock to local defence officials and go to the streets again.”

Similarly, Clementine Mukamana who sells clothing says: “I spend the day in the market because I have a little baby, but if I don’t go to town and sell something, my family can starve.”

Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs in Huye district Christine, Niwemugeni affirms that if street hawkers settle in one market place, people would know them and start looking for them in that market and buy their goods.

She adds that the reason people do not go to that market is because hawkers are never there full time.

Vice mayor reveals that local defence will always be asked to force street hawkers to operate in places where they say clients don’t find them.

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.

Christine Niwemugeni, vice mayor for social affairs in Huye district

Rwandan Leaders have been asked to be the first in adopting children from orphanages so that they grow up in homes, Christine Niwemugeni; vice mayor for social affairs in Huye district has said.

Vice mayor said this during the meeting on transferring children from orphanages to some families. The meeting gathered the concerned authorities in southern province.

Explaining on the reason for asking leaders to adopt children, vice mayor Niwemugeni lamented: “Recently here in Huye, we had six children that we wanted to give to some families. Two got them but after hard work, three of them were sent to Nyundo orphanage and another one is at Kabutare hospital.”

I think if leaders show a good example the rest would follow and receive children from orphanages because these children need families to raise them, adds Niwemugeni.

Giving the reasons as to why adoption is not easy, one participant said: “Am never home due to my demanding work, why do I bring a child I will never get time for when he or she comes in need of parental care?”

Another parent added: “I have one child and would love to bring home his playmate, but if I take one home it will require me to enroll him or her in the same school as my child, yet it is expensive.”

Although orphans count to 3000, the problem would be solved if leaders took up the idea because they are many as well, says Niwemugeni.

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.

Le vice maire Nyiraneza Clotilde donnant du lait aux enfants.

Des  émissaires du ministère de l’agriculture et de l’élevage se sont rendus dans le district de Ngororero dans le cadre de la lutte de la malnutrition chez les enfants et les adultes. Le vice maire  chargé des affaires sociales Madame Clotilde Nyiraneza, s’est exprimé à ce sujet en exhortant les habitants de distribuer du lait et de leur donner des aliments équilibrés précieux pour leur santé.

D’après les experts en nutrition, le lait est important dans la lutte de la malnutrition car le lait  contient des protéines, des glucides, des sels minéraux, des vitamines A et B12, des calciums et fer.  Car ces substances organiques ne se rencontrent pas généralement dans les céréales et les tubercules.

Le vice maire a  invité les habitants de donner du lait aux enfants car ce sont eux qui en ont besoin le plus.

Madame Nyiraneza a ainsi déclaré que si un enfant reçoit un gobelet de lait par jour, il reçoit 40% des protéines, 35% de calcium, environ 70% de vitamine B12 et environ 14% des féculents.

Ce programme a été amorcé par le premier ministre du Rwanda dans le district de Nyabihu. Ce programme, entre le ministère de la santé et de l’agriculture en collaboration avec les ONG comme « Kundamata » et l’UNICEF, est destiné à sensibiliser les rwandais de consommer le lait dans le cadre de la lutte contre la malnutrition.