During the rainy season, it was a very hard time for James Ntaganira and his wife Kellen Mukabaranga, their house roofing
would drip because it was dilapidated.
Most of the time, the family would seek refugee to neighbors who have a good roofing, running away from their wet and cold home, the situation would be worse on rainy nights because they would barely sleep.
“When it rained, our house roof would drip in all rooms because our roofing was in dilapidated state, it was old and we lacked means to fix it, resorting to seek refugee from our neighbors which was very difficult at night with children,” Mukabaranga notes.
Two of their immediate neighbors also faced a similar situation because their houses were also in a very sorry state having been built in the late 1990s.
These residents of Bushoga Village in Nyagatare Sector of Nyagatare District are survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Their houses were built in 1998, from that time they had never been rehabilitated because of limited means.
Rwanda Development Organisation (RDO) upon establishing the woos of these vulnerable survivors of Genocide against the Tutsi intervened to offer support and started mobilizing resources to improve their poor living conditions.
With the financial support from Trocaire, RDO approached local authorities in Nyagatare to help in identifying those who were in dire need and 21 households were selected.
Fiston Mutabazi, RDO Senior Extensionist in the Eastern Province, who coordinated the activity said that, “21 households were selected to be supported by rehabilitating their houses which were dilapidated.”
He notes that, when they went on ground, it was established that these families needed more support than only rehabilitating houses. This called for mobilizing more resources to accompany this support by organizing to give each household at least small livestock and support in establishing kitchen gardens to improve their diets.
To assess the completion of rehabilitation works, a team from RDO together with district authorities including the Vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, the director of social welfare and the Executive Secretary of Nyagatare Sector visited the beneficiaries.
During the visit on 11th April 2023, every supported household was given two goats and different vegetable seeds. Also, RDO made a follow-up on these support activities ensuring that all had prepared their gardens and helped some to plant the vegetables.
Violete Mukamurigo, the representative of survivors of genocide in Bushoga was very grateful for the support they received and said that this shows how others have them in their thoughts. She said that the gesture helps to cement unity and reconciliation for Rwandans.
Vauster Murorunkwere, a resident of Burumba village, Barija Cell in Nyagatare Sector appreciated the support she received, saying that this will benefit her family and improve their living conditions.
Murorunkwere, 62, is a mother of four but currently only lives with her grandchild. She said that, she is now sure that there are people who love and care for them. Her home now looks like brand new, the livestock and vegetables were really needed because she had none.
Vice Mayor Julliet Murikatete, told the beneficiaries that government cares for survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi and wants their living conditions to improve as well as for all Rwandans.
She cautioned them to handle well the support given so that it may improve their lives by rearing the livestock rather than selling them right away. She said that the livestock will help provide manure for the kitchen gardens that can improve household diet.
