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.

The government of Rwanda has on Thursday 14^th June 2012 presented the 2012/2013 fiscal year budget to the Parliament.

The budget emphasizes scaling up of infrastructure projects to enhance growth and poverty reduction strategies.

While presenting the national budget John Rwangombwa, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, mentioned that this year’s budget would see infrastructure receive 23percent of the entire budget compared to the share of 21percent in the previous fiscal year 2011/12.

Reiterating the importance of infrastructure to the development of the country the Minister said, “Infrastructure is the backbone of the economy. To encourage the investment that will create more employment for our people, therefore we need to remove the physical infrastructure bottlenecks that exist.

We need to have our entire population connected to steady supply of electricity, good roads and access to clean water and high speed internet among others. This will accelerate the progress that has seen one million Rwandans pull themselves out of poverty in the last five years.”

This development will see the construction and rehabilitation of over 460 kilometers of roads, adding 30MW to the national grid, and scaling up investment projects in local governments to Rwf 79 billion compared with Rwf 25 billion in the previous year.

The budget speech reflects a significant decrease in the Government of Rwanda’s dependence on donor aid from development partners. The 2012/13 budget’s share funded by aid is 46percent compared with 85percent in 2000. The Government remains determined to progressively reduce its level of dependency.

Noting this the Minister said, “While we appreciate all the indispensable help we received from each of our development partners over the last 18 years, we have always focused on using each development project to address current concerns and create a concrete change so that future generations would not be dependent on aid.”

In the live stock rearing in ‘Girinka’ program in Nyabihu district they had vowed to give 500 cows to the poor in the whole year starting from the 1^st.July.2011-30^th.June.2012 but has met the goal before the year is over.

This was said by the veterinary doctor in Nyabihu district Shingiro Eugene on the 14^th.May.2012 who said that with one month to one year, they have already given out 525 cows in Girinka program to the poor, the historically marginalized, and HIV/AIDS carriers in the 12 sectors of Nyabihu district.

Shingiro said that the reason they exceeded their expectations is because of the people they gave cows in the beginning who gave their neighbours when theirs gave birth and he said that they are still giving out cows and help people to get out of poverty and promote themselves.

In the year 1994, Rwanda faced one of the worst human tragedies in the history. Over a million Tutsis were massacred in just a hundred days.

Repercussions of such an experience are diverse and challenging; one of them is raising orphans whose parents were victims of that deadly act.

In an event to mourn genocide victims this year 2012, Gisagara district IBUKA coordinator raised concerns about genocide orphans social needs. This event took place on 20^th April 2012 with residents of Mugombwa, Muganza and Mukindo sectors present.

Mr Emmanuel Nshimiyimana the IBUKA representative said that “Orphans live in their homes alone, which houses they close for 3 months while they left for school. On their way back from school, they are entangled in loneliness, insufficient funds and sorrow of their lost dear ones.”

“They too need to have child basic necessities and counselling services.” Added the representative

Such problems have often let down performance in class thus living them with low grades to pursue further in education under both government and FARG sponsorship.

Minister of sports and culture, Protais Mitali who was the chief guest responded to the posed wishes by saying that he will do advocacy for them wherever possible.

He also reminded all Rwandans that such Orphans’ problems should be a responsibility of every Rwandan as the government can never solve them alone.

Three cooperatives that farm fish in Gakenke district have received more than 20,000 fish in their ponds, enabling a good harvest by this period of time next year, causing positive grow.

Frodouard Ahishakiye a coordinator of ‘Twite ku mirire’ cooperative that works in Rusagara cell in Gakenke sector said that they hope to get enough produce in a period of the year.

To achieve this, they have to work hard to get them food so that they grow well, protecting them from dangerous insects and animals by being hygienic.

She says that when fish is well taken care of they give enough produce and that 4 fish in their cooperative weigh 1Kgs.

“Twite ku mirire” cooperative was given 13.600 fish, ‘Terimbere muhinzi-mworozi’ cooperative from Gashenyi sector was given 3.000 fish and Nyarutovu secondary school in Nemba sector were given 4.200 fish on the support of PAGELAC project.

Orphans of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis living under a family called Abatazima Family in Bugesera district voluntarily repaired a home for a 90 year old lady who survived the genocide too.

Elizabeth Mukangango a resident of Kayenzi village, Cyugaro Cell, Ntarama Sector in Bugesera is 90 years old and all her family was murdered living her to live alone. During the Genocide she hid in the Swampy lands of Ntarama Sector but was unlucky as she was then found by the Hutu militias who badly injured her.

In the Genocide’s aftermath, the government of Rwanda built a house for Mukangango as hers had been demolished by the militias and she was also hospitalized for more than half a year to cure.

As part of the mourning period, the Abatazima family decided to give Mukangango a hand in renovating her house that had started cracking and leaking.

Imbuto Foundation a warded Evelyne Nyiramaromba from Burera district as the best guardian angel termed as ‘Malayika Murinzi’ for raising two children who are not hers.

Evelyne Nyiramaromba picked and raised a boy who is now 7 year old and a girl who is also 13 years of age. She says to have picked the baby girl in the year of 2000 on the road that connects Ruhengeri to Kigali city.

She continues to explain that she picked the child from her mother who had died on the road side and immediately took the child to the hospital of CHUK in Kigali for check up.

The doctors found when the child was normal and only urged her to take good care of the child since her mother had died.

“ The doctors tested the child and found she was in good condition but only urged me to take good care of her since she had lost the mother to breast feed her”, Evelyne Nyiramaromba narrated.

She tried her level best to raise child whom she named Latifah Akimana until now when she is in primary three.

She picked the boy child when he was at 3 years of age and they have so far spent 4 year living together and she put him in school whereby he is now in primary one.

Imbuto Foundation rewarded Evelyne Nyiramaromba for her kind heart of raising children  for the nation with a cow, medal and a certificate.

Residents of Nyakarambi village in Kirehe district have celebrated this year’s Heroes’ Day by extending a helping hand to the disabled people in their community.

The community managed to collect Rwf62, 950 as financial support to the development of the association for the disabled in Nyakarambi zone, during a fundraising ceremony.

Mukangwije Aurerie and Kantarama Immaculée told us that forming an association for the disabled greatly helped them stop from begging alongside roads which was their daily business before forming the association, “we now have  a source of income from the crafts we are involved  in  like the basketry , making mats, bags, and trays that help us be self reliant.”

However this association that is made of 20 members most of whom are disabled and few who are not, have been promised by the executive secretary of Kirehe district, Zikama Eric also the guest of honour to support them until it become a cooperative “you are a very courageous group that really need a back up, do not fear therefore to seek for an advice or any other help as you will not be left unattended” he noted.

Each year, Rwandans celebrate Heroes day which is marked on the 1^st of February countrywide and is one of the major national events.

The New Year is likely to see a major boost to service delivery in the health sector, after the recent distribution of 67 state-of-the-art ambulances to all district hospitals across the country.

Rwanda s health ministry this Thursday distributed 7 brand new ambulances to different hospitals

The seven ambulances handed over to the hospitals are in line with the government program of equipping Health centers and hospitals in the country with ambulances.

Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, Rwanda’s Minister of Health expressed her delight that the ministry is achieving its goals of extending ambulances in each district to help sick people easily access health services.

She urged hospital Directors to develop a business plan that will help maintain the ambulances without depending on the government.

“More ambulances have been given out to increase access to health care services. This is in a bid to increase rapid intervention in cases of emergency such as accidents, mothers going to deliver and many other health-related crises that may befall Rwandans”, Binagwaho said.

Among the hospitals which received ambulances include; Masaka in Kicukiro district, Mubilizi in Rusizi district, Remera Rukoma in Kamonyi district, Shyira in Nyabihu district and Mugonero in Karongi district.

Apart from taking patients to hospitals, the ambulances also contain first aid materials, sickbed and a place for a physician when giving basic treatment to a patient.

Under this program, the Health Ministry has so far offered 208 ambulances all over the country.

Abaturage bahahira mu isoko rya Kayonza baravuga ko ibiciro by’ibiribwa byuriye kubera iminsi mikuru ya Noheri n’ubunani.

Ibi babivugira ko bimwe mu biribwa bahahira muri iri soko byahise byiyongeraho amafaranga ari hagati ya100 na 50, ukurikije uko babiguraga icyumweru kimwe mbere ya Noheri.

Mukakalisa Claudine umwe mu bahahira muri iri soko, avuga ko ibiribwa byazamuye ibiciro ari ibisanzwe bikoreshwa cyane mu minsi mikuru. Yagize ati “Nk’ubu igitoki twaguraga ibihumbi bibiri ntibatinya kukubwira ngo ni 2500, inyama ni uko, ibirayi ni uko, mbese byatuyobeye”

Abacururiza muri iri soko bavuga ko kuzamuka kw’ibiciro by’ibiribwa kenshi biterwa n’ubwinshi bw’abantu baba bakeneye ibyo biribwa, ngo bigatuma nabo bagerageza kuriza igiciro gato kugira ngo babone amafaranga yo gusoza umwaka.

Umwe mu bacuruzi b’inyama mu isoko rya Kayonza yagize ati  “Urabona hari igihe tubaga inka tukayimarana iminsi itatu, ine, itanu, rimwe na rimwe n’icyumweru kikaba cyashira zikadupfira ubusa. Ariko ku mu minsi nk’iyi ngiyi, tuba dufite abaguzi benshi, nawe urumva ko tuba tugomba gushaka uko tuzarya ubunani neza”

Abahahira muri iri soko rya kayonza bavuga ko hari hakwiye kujyaho urwego ruhoraho rugenzura abacuruzi buri gihe kugira ngo batitwaza iminsi mikuru bagashakira inyungu z’ikirenga mu baguzi.