IGIHE

Author: Elina Jonas Ruzindaza

  • India-Rwanda relations since Narendra Modi’s visits to Rwanda

    It is a visit that has strengthened the willingness of both countries to strengthen development ties, given that the two countries share much in common, including the pace of sustainable development.

    During his visit, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) focusing on sectors such as security, trade, cooperation in increasing milk production, cooperation in boosting leather, agriculture, and culture.

    At that time, the Prime Minister of India donated 200 cows to Rwanda, which were given to the people of the Bugesera District in Eastern Rwanda. This was a great sign because cows are animals that means a lot in Indian culture as well as in Rwandan culture.

    India also donated 100,000 books to Rwanda for the betterment of education. A $ 200 million (Rwf193 billion) agreement will also be signed to help develop irrigation and industrial space.

    In an interview with IGIHE, the Indian Ambassador in Rwanda, Oscar Kerketta, said the money has already been increased.

    “I am pleased that India’s budget for Rwanda stands at $ 547 million (Rwf528 billion), which will be used in sectors such as electricity, agriculture, irrigation, and technology,” he said.

    In addition to this money that will help the country in large-scale projects, Rwanda has benefited greatly from the investment of Indian businesses that have long shown a thirst for investment in the Rwandan market. As of 2017, India was the third-largest investor in Rwanda, valued at $ 83.1 million (Rwf 80.3 billion).

    According to Oscar Kerketta, “Indian businesses are moving to the Rwandan market due to the country’s economic opportunities, good governance, and how Rwanda is leading the way in facilitating investment.”

    He explained that there is a lot of potential for productivity between the two countries, as Rwanda can increase the size of its exports to India, as it is still low.

    Some of the major Indian companies that have invested in Rwanda include Airtel, Virunga Biotech Ltd, Marasa Holding, Accacia Property Development, Kabuye Sugar Works Sarl, God Steel Rwanda Ltd, Cardiac Specialty Rwanda, Rugabano Tea Company Ltd, Gisovu Tea Company Ltd and more.

    As of 2018, Indian projects in Rwanda were valued at $ 389 million, employing 10,175 people in the telecommunications, technology, agriculture, health, and more sectors.

    Kerketta told IGIHE that cooperation between the two countries’ trade establishments had begun. It is a partnership called the ‘India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program’ aimed at leveraging India’s technology in the development of Rwanda. The project was launched when former Vice President of India Hamid Ansari paid a visit to Rwanda in 2017.

    In the first year of the agreement, over 200 Indian companies signed a partnership agreement with over 100 Rwandan companies. It is expected that in the next two years, up to 20 technological ideas and innovations will be implemented.

    Business establishments between the two countries have also signed agreements aimed at facilitating cooperation between them.

    According to Kerketta, one of the reasons for this is the launch of flights between Kigali and Mumbai, as well as travel by RwandAir.

    “These important travels between Rwanda and India have greatly facilitated relations, boosted trade, tourism, and investment. The launch of air freight services between Kigali and Mumbai has reduced the cost of air freight,” he said.

    So far, the journey between Kigali and Mumbai only takes six hours.

    This positive relationship also led to the rise of a large number of Rwandan students who are going to complete their studies in India, due to the facilitation of travel and the culture of the two regions.

    “Every year we see an increase in the number of Rwandan students going to India to complete their courses. This is due to the reasons for the low cost and quality of education in India, the availability of courses in English, the Indian culture of hospitality, the culture of India in general, the ease of issuing visas, and more,” Kerketta said.

    He added that the fact the East African Region is home to a large number of Indians creates a cultural sharing, where Rwandans go to India freely.

    Also, India has helped many African students get the opportunity to study in their country for free, and many Rwandans have benefited from it.

    “I am pleased to say that, taking advantage of this opportunity, many students who have completed their studies in India will now be contributing to the development of Rwanda,” he said.

    Kerketta said development cooperation would continue, adding that institutions such as education, capacity building, health, technology, infrastructure, agriculture, and security could be given more attention.

    He added that the two countries are concerned about improving their relations, saying that “the key to maintaining relations is in the development of cooperation between India and Rwanda.”

    He emphasized that the partnership would be achieved through “support, technical advice, human rights activities, loans to study in India and many other capacity-building programs”.

    Apart from Rwanda, India has also invested heavily in building a viable relationship with the African continent as a whole.

    For example, trade between India and Africa was $ 69 billion last year, while India was ranked fifth in Africa with a high investment of $ 54 billion.

    India has a lot in commonalities with Africa, including having a history that goes hand in hand, especially based on colonialism and the shackles of liberation.

    He said that relations between India and Africa are developing because “India’s goal is to expand Africa’s opportunities, build capacity, Africa-based partnerships and work together to participate in world events, giving a voice to people of both sides”.

    It is in this context that Oscar Kerketta says that India supports the African Common Market Agreement, AfCFTA, and is proud of Rwanda’s role in its implementation.

    “The implementation of the AfCFTA agreement is an opportunity to further boost trade between India and Africa. We commend the role of the Government of Rwanda in the implementation of the AfCFTA. ”

    Oscar Kerketta also said that India is in the process of launching an Entrepreneurship Development Center, which will be integrated into the Cooperative and Microfinance Institution (RICEM), which will be completed in the next few months.

    So far, the journey between Kigali and Mumbai only takes six hours.
    Oscar Kerketta said that the cooperation between Rwanda and Indi trade establishments had begun.
    India's Ambassador office in Rwanda is located in Nyarutarama in Kigali City
    During his visit to Rwanda, Narendra Modi donated 200 cows to Rwanda
    In 2018, India-Rwanda relations were further strengthened when Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his first visit to Rwanda
    Airtel Rwanda is one of the largest investments made by Indian investors

  • WIBENA Impact launches program to lift youth and women out of poverty

    It is a long-term program, which will be based on the broader WIBENA Impact framework, which includes knowledge-based education, leadership education, women’s and youth development, gender equality, human rights, and justice for all and c climate change resilience.

    It is a goal that the organization says it wants to share with all Africans, to help people of the continent better share the opportunities available that can promote it.

    The organization says African education needs to be reformed, based on knowledge rather than just paper.

    René Yves Uwayo, Regional Program Manager at Wibena Impact, said: “When you have knowledge no one can take it away, we believe that knowledge is the path to Africa’s development.”

    He outlined the goals of Rwanda and Africa, in general, to build a knowledge economy, explaining why there should be a change in the current knowledge, which is more relevant to the times.

    He said the WIBENA Impact is campaigning, to encourage all stakeholders, including the government, to put more effort into the reform of knowledge in general.

    In this journey, Wibena Impact is also organizing training to raise the profile of those who are lagging in development, including women and youth.

    It is a training course for 120 people in Nyarugenge District, where they will be taught vocational skills and will be helped to find tools that will help them to make it productive.

    “It is a project to provide practical skills training to the most vulnerable people in Nyarugenge District. 120 people will be selected from the sectors that make up the region, and then, we will provide them with the equipment they need that will enable them to start earning money,” Uwayo said.

    Speaking on the development of women and youth, Uwayo said that these categories of people are among the most lagging in development, where statistics show that during the Coronavirus period, unemployment increased to 22.1% from 13%.

    About 25% of those who lost their jobs were women, 27.1% were youth while only 19% were men.

    Uwayo points out that there is still a need for more efforts to help these levels rise.

    He said development is impossible for people who do not complement each other, which is why their concerns include complementarity between the two sexes. This will go hand in hand with helping everyone get the opportunity they deserve and achieve their dream, no matter what their gender is.

    “Let people be prevented with incompetence, but not by human inventions,” he said.

    This will ensure that resources are shared fairly, where everyone gets what they deserve, and there is no need for the poorest and richest in the country.

    In maintaining good health, Uwayo says it is important that as a development community, they should study the issue of climate change and take care of the environment because that is where people draw their lives.

    He also said that it is important to protect the environment to protect future generations, “which can be heard in history because they will no longer exist.”

    Wibena Impact combines all the responsibilities to be productive.

    “Looking at our projects, it has a connection. As an example of the training we will provide, we can teach leadership responsibilities, conduct anti-drug or violence awareness campaigns, so each one complements the other. ”

    He said WIBENA Impact is conducting a regular assessment, which is what Steve Young’s statement is: The principle is self-control, self-improvement, and self-improvement today than it was yesterday,” he said.

    The campaign aims to bring change

    To develop the youth, the WIBENA Impact has a large government advocacy program aimed at encouraging it to reduce taxes.

    WIBENA Impact says that although taxes are not eliminated for young people, they can be reduced or there may be a time limit for small businesses operating to allow them to build capacity that will help them pay taxes in the long run.

    In addition to tax reduction, there are projects the organization plans to undertake in the field of environmental care including forestation during the mining week, which will be celebrated at the end of the year.

    It will also educate miners on the best ways to protect the environment near their place of work, as the mining industry when mismanaged, damages the environment by flooding rivers, forests, and so on.

    “When you look at mining around the world, you will see that it is one of the most polluting substances in the environment, such as water, illegal logging, and soil contamination. We will not stop mining because it is very important for the economy. In Rwanda, it is the second-largest source of foreign exchange earnings after tourism, but there are ways to do it better, depending on the environment in general,” he added.

    In the field of education, WIBENA Impact says it plans to focus on promoting education based on the history of the African continent, rather than focusing on other countries, because “when you don’t know where you came from you won’t know where you and you are going”.

    “We believe that education is the right of every African. We want Africans to know their history because a country that does not know its history it fails in the middle of the journey. When you look at Africa, we study foreign history more than our own, which makes us love foreign countries more than we love our countries. So if you don’t like where you are, you won’t be able to do sustainable development. ”

    WIBENA Impact is one of the organizations that helped people get food during the lockdown program, where they provided food in the Nyarugenge, Nyakabanda, Kimisagara, and Kicukiro areas.

    It aims to reach out to all African countries as there are often many problems common to the entire continent, so this will give it a chance to achieve its goals of improving the lives of Africans in general.

    Currently, the organization has launched a series of discussions on technology, covering a wide range of topics. As of this month, the discussion returned to the topic of “Youth and talents”, which was attended by celebrities including artist Mani Martin.

    The talks also drew a crowd of over 23,000 people from around the world.

    The organization helps the poorest sections of the population, helping them build health and progress. For people with development projects that can change the lives of many, WIBENA Impact welcomes them, where they can easily achieve it, through its social media platforms or by emulating it at its headquarters in the Centenary House in Kigali City.

    For those who want to support it, WIBENA Impact is ready to work with them, where an individual, an institution, a certain family, and many others, can approach it and be shown the projects they are sponsoring. Basing on the huge responsibilities this organization has, supporting them is to help the youth, women, and others who have projects that this organization is developing.

    WIBENA Impact’s activities can also be found on social media including its website https://www.wibenaimpact.org/ , Twitter and Facebook on behalf of Wibena impact

    WIBENA Impact has launched a long-term program to help youth and women in Africa thrive

  • Sawa Citi takes over Ndoli Supermarket

    Prior to taking over Ndoli supermarket, Sawa Citi has been opening branches across Kigali City, it already has four branches and is preparing to open its fifth branch in Rusororo, Kigali, which will open its doors in the coming days.

    The brand name Ndoli Supermarket will however remain in use with Sawa Citi running its management and operations.

  • Rubavu: Genocide survivors receive decent homes worth Rwf 600 million

    The promise was made by the Rubavu District Local Authorities after handing over to them the newly built houses completed at a cost of Rwf600 million.

    Residents appreciated the houses and the basic home necessities given to them.
    Mujawamariya Gaudence, a resident of Nyabishongo Village, appreciated the beautiful house they now live in.

    “We are grateful to Rubavu district administration for the beautiful house we have been given, we can’t compare them to where we lived.”

    She asked the authorities to think about how they can move out of poverty so that they can get more of what they need in their daily lives instead of always waiting to be given.

    The beneficiaries, however, have called for sustainable support through livestock farming to help them thrive and better access to cooking fuels.

    Mujawamariya continued, “We have a problem with charcoal, which is why you see us cooking from outside. We can’t cook using firewood in this house.”

    Another beneficiary, Rudakemwa Faustin, said they were promised cows through the Girinka Munyarwanda program and urged them to expedite the process to help them get milk and other benefits.

    The mayor of Rubavu District, Habyarimana Gilbert, says the residents will be given cows before the end of this year.

    Rubavu District Administration assured the families of 32 genocide against the Tutsi survivors resettled in Nyabishongo Village that they will continue to be cared for through the VUP and Girinka.
    The promise was made by the Rubavu District Local Authorities after handing over to them the newly built houses completed at a cost of Rwf600 million.
    The mayor of Rubavu District, Habyarimana Gilbert, says the residents will be given cows before the end of this year.

  • Kigali markets strengthen observation of COVID-19 prevention guidelines

    When the markets were closed on August 16, the Minister of Health, Dr. Ngamije Daniel, said the analysis showed that there was a delay in following Coronavirus prevention guidelines, where in some markets people don’t wear masks, others misbehave and do not wash hands properly.

    He said that in July it became clear that there was a problem in the markets as many guidelines were flouted.

    To establish how other markets are implementing the Covid-19 prevention-guidelines, IGIHE visited Kicukiro and Kimironko Markets this week.

    Before one enters any of the two markets, one must first wash hands and test the temperature. A person enters the market alone to avoid overcrowding. A system has been put in place to help those who go to these markets get in one by one, something that protects them from the clutter.

    The same goes for the whistleblowers who look at everyone to see if they comply with regulations; those who violate them are reminded how they should behave.

    All entrants to the Kimironko market would first wash their hands
    All entrants are first tested temperature before entering the market

  • COVID-19: More new cases, increased death rate

    Rwanda’s health authorities say the number of Coronavirus is on the rise, warning the public to observe strict guidelines provided by the government.

    In the past two days, Rwanda recorded over 300 new cases while the death toll from the outbreak has risen to 12.

    Dr. Nsanzimana Sabin, Director-General of Rwanda Biomedical Center, RBC, said if Rwandans don’t take precautionary measures, things might get worse.

    Speaking to the RBA on Monday morning, Dr. Nsanzimana Sabin said that in the clinics the number of patients has started to increase in a way there is a need for some patients to be treated at home so that the clinics can take better care of the ill.

    “It’s a new way we started, home treatment, that’s where we’re going to put a lot of effort. The larger clinics where we treat COVID-19 will be for those who are very ill and have symptoms, and the easier it will be to care for them.”

    The number of new cases continues to increase, especially in Kigali, mostly those working in the recently closed markets including Nyarugenge and Mutangana Nyabugogo.

    Dr. Nsanzimana said the reason for the large number of people infected was that they had deviated from preventive measures including social distance.

    He added that violating the precautionary measures leads to the rise of the pandemic, the ability to care for the sick will decline and the number of the ill and death will also increase.

    However, Dr. Nsanzimana said that Rwanda still has enough capacity to care for Coronavirus patients.

    He said there was also training for more doctors to be able to take care of Coronavirus patients.

    Last week, the coronavirus testing method was expanded, a new coronavirus testing laboratory was opened at Ruhengeri Hospital and Kibagabaga Hospital, and the introduction of a rapid scanning procedure known as the Antigen Rapid Test where one can get the results in less than 30 minutes.

    Since the first Coronavirus patient appeared in Rwanda, 3,089 people have been infected, and 1755 have recovered, including one who was discharged from the hospital on August 23, 2020.

    Dr. Nsanzimana said the reason for the large number of people infected was that they had deviated from preventive measures including social distance.

  • Three arrested for hiding remains of genocide victims

    The suspects are Pastor Munyankindi Landouard who was arrested on August 16, 2020, Deacon Mugabarigira Narcisse arrested on August 18, and Nzabonimpa Crysostome arrested on August 19, 2020, all detained at Nyamabuye RIB Station.

    RIB spokesperson, Dr. Thierry Murangira confirmed the arrest.

    “They face prosecution for hiding evidence and and information about the Genocide. The arrests are related to the bodies of the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi found during the construction of a water reservoir at the ADEPR / Gahogo church.”

    “Before they built the church they found the bodies, removed and hid them. The bodies were however recently found as technicians were repairing the tank.”

  • Three Rwandan women named among 100 most influential in Africa

    The list includes key women from 34 African countries, working in a variety of fields including diplomacy, change activists, the private sector, business leaders, and those in the entertainment industry.

    The profiling has Ben developed by Avance Media, one of the most influential on the continent in terms of corporate advocacy.

    Of the 100 women in the country, Ghana has nine, South Africa has 11 and Nigeria has 20.
    These include the names of 75 new women who were not on the list published in recent years where some of the top names include Halima Dangote who is in charge of Dangote Group, a company of the richest African, Aliko Dangote.

    There is also one Ugandan woman, Stella Nyanzi; Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Information and Communication, Emma Theofelus who has resigned at the age of 24.

    One of the focus in selection of these women is their abilities and productivity in management, their personal achievements, their efforts in sharing knowledge, among others.

    The three Rwandans, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, and Louise Mushikiwabo, all served in the Government of Rwanda in various positions.

    Louise Mushikiwabo

    Mushikiwabo is currently the Secretary-General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). She previously served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Rwanda.

    She took over the leadership of the OIF in January 2019 after being elected in October 2018 with the support of member states of the African Union.

    Her outstanding work has led to the awarding of the Outstanding Humanitarian Award in 2014 by the American University’s School of International Studies.

    In 2014, Radio France Internationale (RFI) ranked her among the top women in Africa.

    In addition to political work, Mushikiwabo is also a writer. In 2006 she published a 384-page book, Rwanda means The Universe, in collaboration with journalist Jack Kramer. It contains testimonies of the history of Rwanda, the preparation for the Genocide against the Tutsi, and its implementation.

    Professor Agnes Binagwaho

    Professor Agnes Binagwaho, MD, M(Ped), PHD is a pediatrician who served the Rwandan Health Sector (2001-2016) in high-level government positions, first as the Executive Secretary of Rwanda’s National AIDS Control Commission, then as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, and 5 years as Minister of Health.

    She co-founded the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), an initiative of Partners In Health, which focuses on changing how health care is delivered around the world by training global health professionals who strive to deliver more equitable, quality health services for all.

    Professor Binagwaho currently resides in Rwanda and is the Vice -Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity. She is specialized in emergency pediatrics, neonatology, and the treatment of HIV/AIDS. She completed her MD at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles and her MA in Pediatrics at the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale. She was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science from Dartmouth College and earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Rwanda College of Medicine.

    Professor Binagwaho serves as a Senior Advisor to the Director General of the World Health Organization, and as a member of multiple Advisory Board and Board of Directors including the Rockefeller Foundation Board. She is a member of a number of international working groups and task forces in global health for the United Nations and independent organizations and also sits on the Editorial Board of several scientific journals and serves on multiple scientific commissions.

    She is currently a senior lecturer in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a Professor of Pediatrics at UGHE, as well as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine.

    Professor Binagwaho’s academic engagements include research in implementation sciences, research on human rights to health, health services delivery systems strengthening, HIV/AIDS, and pediatric care. She has published over 190 peer-reviewed articles.

    Dr. Agnes Kalibata

    Dr. Agnes Kalibata is the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). She is one of the former ministers of model agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. From 2008 to 2014 when she was Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), poverty was reduced by 50% mainly due to good agricultural policies and uplifing of small farmers.

    She holds a PhD in Entomology from the University of Massachusetts.

    She has worked for about a decade at the Agricultural Research Institute at the Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute, which works with Makerere University and Massachusetts.

    In 2018, she was awarded a Distinguished Degree from the University of Liège in Belgium for her outstanding management practices.

    In 2012 she was awarded the Yara Prize which has now become the Africa Food Prize given to a person or institution that is making a difference in the development of African agriculture.

    Earlier last year, the American Academy of Sciences (NAS) awarded her a medal for her contribution to community development through modern agriculture on the African continent.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres also recently made her special envoy to the 2021 summit to study the journey to food security and agricultural development.

  • SFH Rwanda builds community health posts worth Rwf97 million

    The health posts will provide primary health care services including; screening, testing, family planning, immunization, general medicine, and maternity services.

    The two health posts have been completed at a cost of Rwf97 million. One will be supervised by Remera Health Center while the other will be supervised by Kacyiru Health Center.

    SFH Rwanda Director of Health Programs, Janepher Turatsinze, told IGIHE that as a Rwandan institution that is committed to making Rwandans healthier, it has set itself the goal of building health posts is to bring health care closer to the people.

    The Executive Director of Gasabo District, Umwali Pauline, said the health posts are coming to complement the government’s plan to build health posts in each cell, to make it easier to provide medical services to the people.

    Umwali said they would do their best to provide better services to the health posts, including providing doctors who would treat the community.

    The director of Kacyiru Health Center, Janvier Ndatimana, said the health posts will provide services for “screening, testing, family planning, immunization, general medicine and maternity services.”

    Health posts built-in Gasabo District are expected to facilitate the work of health counselors, who take care of the community on the daily basis.

    A health counselor in Gasasa Village, where one of the health posts is located, Mukayiraba Winnie, said it was a blessing because it will make their work easier.

    “We are very blessed. We used to have women who were going to give birth but to reach out to them wasn’t easy. Some used to give birth on the way. But now that the health posts is here, in the middle of the village, it will be easier for us to get here soon.”

    She asked medical workers to always provide good services so that medical services consumption gets better appreciation.

    SFH Rwanda has already contributed to the construction of 169 primary clinics across the country and 10 others in the second phase.

    Apart from building health posts, SFH Rwanda also provides family planning, AIDS prevention, malaria prevention, and other pandemics awareness services. The organization also provides life-saving equipment including mosquito nets, condoms, family planning equipment, and more.

    SFH Rwanda strive to enable universal access to medical services without difficulties.

    The organization in Rwanda started in 2012, working with other agencies such as the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), the Imbuto Foundation, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO), PSI, USAID, CDC, DOD, Global Fund, SC Johnson, Abbott, IntareHealth, AmrefHealth Africa, UNICEF and more.

    These clinics have all the necessary medical equipment
    Patients have a place to sit while waiting for the medical services, and respect the social distance to avoid COVID-19
    The maternity ward is equipped with all the necessary equipment
    SFH Rwanda provides condoms to help people avoid sexually transmitted infections

  • Bishop Simon Masasu goes to the Lord

    Bishop Murekezi who is the elder brother of Apostle Joshua Ndagijimana Masasu, passed away on Wednesday morning, August 19, 2020, at CHUK Hospital.

    One of the senior leaders of the Restoration Church told IGIHE, “He died instantly at about 11 p.m. He had been suffering from a common illness at CHUK Hospital for about three months.”

    Bishop Simon Murekezi Masasu is one of the longest-serving ministers in the Restoration Church which he served in the Western Province where he lived in Rubavu District.

    Bishop Simon Murekezi Masasu has passed away due to chronic illness