IGIHE

Author: Marie Ange Mukaneza

  • Mushikiwabo assumes Office as OIF General Secretary

    Mushikiwabo who served as the Rwandan Minister of Foreigner Affairs was elected on the 12th October 2018 by 40 head of states and governments, who attended the 17th summit of the OIF that took place in Yerevan, Armenia.

    According to the official twitter handle of La Francophinie , the handover from Michaëlle Jean who served as the General Secretary for the last four years to Mushikiwabo happened this Thursday in Paris France.

    She assumes offices weeks after President Paul Kagame named Désiré Nyaruhirira who is an advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador, where it is expected that he will step in as advisor of the new Secretary General of La Francophonie (OIF).

    In the past days, the Ambassador-Designate worked very closely with Louise Mushikiwabo, even when she was still a Minister, mostly during the state visits she held while she was campaigning as the Secretary-General of La Francophonie.

    Jeune Afrique wrote that Mushikiwabo had already chosen to bring two close collaborators; Désiré Nyaruhirira, who should be his special advisor and Oria Kije Vande Weghe, her Spokesperson.

    Mushikiwabo is the 4th person to serve as the General Secretary of La Francophonie after the late Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Abdou Diouf and Michaëlle Jean.

    Louise Mushikiwabo assumes Office as La Francophonie(OIF) General Secretary

  • Kigali Marriott celebrates the festive season with children with disabilities

    The celebration held on Monday 24th December was in line with Kigali Marriott’s ‘spirit to serve’ program, intended to give back and impact the community.

    The team visited the centre that takes care of and educates children with physical and mental disabilities aged between three to twelve years and gave them different beautiful gifts including food and games to cheer up their Festive period.

    The Director of Sales and Marketing at Kigali Marriott Hotel, Victoria N. Obiakor said all they did was to show the community that Marriott is here to support where it’s needed.

    “Over the years we have been supporting Women and the less fortunate in different organizations and we felt this time around was perfect for Children with disabilities. These children need everyone’s love and support and we are here to celebrate all the parents and children part of this school because that is the Marriott way.” She said.

    The Hotel Staff brought different gifts based on what the children would need most. This was a way to show the children that they are appreciated and a reminder to be thankful for their parents’ hard work, as well as the teachers and therapists who take care of them daily.

    One of the parents Claudine Irabaruta whose child is cared for by ‘Heroes Day Care Centre’ shared that it has been very helpful to find a place where her daughter feels happy, safe and loved even though she can’t get up by herself.

    The Executive secretary of Heroes Day Care Centre, Ines Musabyemariya, said that the organization was found by some of the parents because they wanted their children to have a place to stay without being considered as a burden or abnormal.

    “When we started, we were so lucky to find well-wishers for children with disabilities. We then decided to help others from vulnerable families. This improved the families’ living conditions and the parents are now able to work and do other things.” She said.

    She added that they are grateful for Kigali Marriott Hotel for visiting and the donations delivered as they made the 2018 Christmas special for the 30 children as well as their families. The food supplies would not have been easily affordable for them.

    {{Kigali Marriott Hotel staff’s Visit in Pictures
    }}