Selected through a competition that was announced by RDB during this year’s Liberation Day celebrations, the teenagers left Kigali on Saturday afternoon to participate in an early morning trek on Sunday.
RDB’s Chief Tourism Officer, Belise Kariza, urged them to be the next generation of conservationists in the country.
“We need to impart the importance of conservation among the youth in order for them to carry on the mountain gorilla conservation efforts that have seen the number of mountain gorillas’ increase. Through gorilla conservation and tourism, we are directly benefiting from these wonderful species. Over the last nine years, revenues from mountain gorilla conservation and the resulting tourism have brought US$107 million to the national coffers,” Kariza noted.
Following the trek, Lelia Gasaro, one of the young trekkers, said that she found the trip educative.
“This trip is good because it helps us to see for ourselves what we learn in school and what the country is doing to conserve the gorillas. The information I received from the guides was good because I knew some of it and also learnt new details that I will share with my friends,” Gasaro noted.
From 15th-16th December, the second group of 15-year olds will travel to Volcanoes National Park courtesy of RDB’s Liberation Day giveaway.
According to a recent census by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), conservation efforts have resulted in an increase in the number of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Massif region to more than 1000 gorillas, from 242 in 1981 and 480 in 2010.
He said African countries also need to continue building the capacity to generate revenues domestically to entrench a sense of ownership of the SDGs, reduce dependence on ever scarce funding and ensure sustainability of results.
Kagame made the remarks as he spoke at the 2018 Global Citizen SDG Reception at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Reception was hosted by Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway and President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana.
The Global Citizens’ Initiative defines a “global citizen’’ as someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to building this community’s values and practices.
Kagame said the Global Citizen Festival and the energized network the organization has created, is a good example of the support that the SDGs continue attract.
“This goodwill is welcome, and we need to harness it appropriately. Channeling commitments made through the relevant national, and regional institutions, empowers them and increases accountability and impact,” Kagame said.
“Our countries also need to continue building the capacity to generate revenues domestically so that we can entrench a sense of ownership of the SDGs, reduce dependence on ever scarce funding, and ensure sustainability of results,” President Kagame said, adding that “We are encouraged by the good progress in the institutional reform of the African Union, which is already enhancing self-financing, efficiency and coordination.”
“Let us take advantage of this momentum, to collaborate even more productively with our global partners, and move faster towards attaining the SDGs by 2030,” Kagame urged.
The Global Citizen Festival 2018 was celebrated by celebrating also 100 years since Nelson Mandela was born.
On Mandela, Kagame said: “He [Mandela] never gave up on Africa. He believed that Africa’s children can achieve anything. It is our responsibility to continue building on his legacy. We must commit to ensuring good nutrition for our children, and eliminating the preventable diseases that threaten Africa’s potential.”
To African youth, President Kagame said: “We need Africa’s young people to be fierce advocates for these goals. You are so well represented tonight here in Soweto, and you make us proud. Together, we can build the Africa we want.”
She said that everybody has at least one story of one woman or girl, who has sparked off remarkable changes around them, because they had been able to enjoy the many benefits of gender equality and social justice, beginning with equal access to knowledge and education.
The First Lady made the remarks as she spoke at the World Vision’s 14th Annual Event entitled as ‘Strong Women Strong World’ on Friday, 30th November this year in New York, USA.
Emphasizing on “She Can”, as stated by World Vision’s catch-line for the forum, Jeannette Kagame shared with the participants the story of one Yvette Ishimwe, a Rwandan woman in her early twenties, who studied physics, chemistry and biology in high school at a time when Government had started to push for girls’ increased enrollment in the STEM cohort.
“While in school, she [Yvette Ishimwe] decided to create a social enterprise called ‘Iriba Clean Water Delivery’ to extract water from natural sources such as lakes and to treat it using a water purifier system, before supplying it to households at an affordable cost. A simple yet innovative concept, allowing communities living in water-scarce environments, to access clean, potable water available at arm’s length,” First Lady Kagame recounted.
Rwanda’s First Lady said that the role of women is changing which calls for an expansion of opportunities in order to keep with the evolving aspirations all members of the Rwandan society like everywhere else in the world.
In Rwanda, like everywhere else, the role of women is changing, and opportunities need to expand, in order to keep pace with the evolving aspirations of all members of our society.
“It is imperative to consider the dual role that women embrace in these modern times. Traditionally, most were expected to focus exclusively on the family sphere, and fulfill their responsibilities as wives, mothers, and caregivers,” she said adding that “in today’s fast-paced world, women are seen as full participants in both the private and public arena. Their roles have shifted from mothers and caregivers to an increasing acceptance of their role as leaders, in their own right.”
“Both roles should be seen as complementary and foundational – for the children, the family, and ultimately for society at large.,’’ she added.
Mrs. Kagame further said: “We must intensify our resolve to change cultural practices that limit women to specific roles, in a thinly veiled attempt, at keeping them steps below their male counterparts.”
She also talked about Imbuto Foundation, an organization that she founded, that offers awards to Best Performing Girls in schools and Scholarships to well-performing students from families with financial difficulties, to encourage them to aspire to excellence, and open pathways for a better future.
“This kind of recognition also inspires and motivates other students to work hard, aim high and positively influence the course of not only their lives but that of their community and country,” Jeannette Kagame said.
The World Vision’s 14th Annual Event saw about 250 participants, men, and women who discussed ways to enable women to play an equal role as men in bringing out changes to alleviate poverty.
It also attracted the Ambassador of Rwanda to the United Nations, the Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nation, Fatima Kyari Mohammed and other staff members of the World Vision among other guests.
The forum which started on November 26, 2018, brought together 1000 African conservation enthusiasts in decision-making positions practitioners, experts in environment and members of governments, who discussed building sustainable green growth.
On the last day, the participants visited Rweru Model Village and a recycling plant in Bugesera District. They were informed about Bugesera International Airport destined to be the greenest and most environmentally friendly airport in Africa.
Meanwhile, the forum awarded people who developed green projects.
Alfred Ntakirutimana, a journalist for TV1, who was awarded as the best journalist publicising environmental development stories in Rwanda during the ‘Rwanda Development Journalism Awards 2018’ on November 7, 2018, was awarded an additional Rwf800,000 and will also attend the international conference on climate change (COP 24) in Katowice, Poland on 3-14 December 2018.
Green Jobs Award went to Edmond Duah Kwaku from Ghana, who exhibited a solar energy project and Cedric Tokombe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo who exhibited a project about the use of fuels known as Makala Bio.
The first award was given to Rosette Muhoza and David Cyinzuzi for their project ‘My Green Home’.
The latter demonstrates how non-decomposing waste can be used into construction pavers while easily decomposing ones are transformed into farmyard manure.
The youth projects competed in YouthConnekt Africa, held in Rwanda in October 2018.
Among local government institutions that mobilized and involved residents in environmental development, Remera Sector in Gasabo District and Kigarama Sector in Kicukiro District were awarded Rwf5 million.
Gicumbi was the best performing district, earning Rwf20 million while Rusizi district was second runner-up.
In the category of small and medium-sized enterprises, the awards focused on the environmentally friendly production that promotes manufacturing and utilization of products in a way that is productive and uses energy efficiently.
The awarded factories include Mata Tea Company, Inyange Industries, Utexrwa Rwanda, Sulfo Rwanda Industries and Nyabihu Tea Company.
Among small companies, ATECAR was awarded Rwf1 million, followed by AS BEAUTE LTD SALOON which was awarded Rwf500 000.
In small-sized factories, Nyabihu Tea Company came first and was awarded Rwf1.5 million, followed by Mata Tea Company awarded Rwf700 000.
Minister of Environment, Dr. Vincent Biruta urged the local government to step up the momentum in preserving environment by developing all people.
“The ones awarded are an indication that everyone can do something and make profits without damaging the environment. We want young people we have invited, to play a big role,” he said.
“We want you to be in a clean, environmentally friendly country, with clean air, and be able to make profits from what you do. Youths are therefore at the top of all those things,” he said.
IMF made this statement on Friday when it highlighted how the whole national economy has been growing over the past four quarters, with an increase in 8.8 percent in 2018.
“Growth averaged 8.6 percent in the first half of 2018 and, despite a temporary deceleration in Q2, remains in line with projections for 7.2 percent for the year,” it said in a statement late Friday.
IMF also shows that the financial sector remains healthy, and bridging the deficit between exports and imports is also faring well, because it decreased by 6% from October 2017 until September 2018.
IMF indicates that Rwanda’s economic growth in the medium term was expected to remain at, or higher than, historical averages, based on tourism, new mining operations, more resilient agriculture, new and more diversified exports and the construction of a new airport.
This was revealed on Friday when it announced reviewed IFRS-based 3Q & 9M 2018 results in the first three months of 2018.
The event coincided with its cross-listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) the Nairobi Stock Exchange Market. The cross-listing marks the entrance of the first Rwandan company in the Kenyan capital market, which is considered to be the biggest in the region.
Head of Finance and Budget at BK, Samuel Nshimiyimana attributed the good performance to the increase in the number of loans issued and savings.
“There has been an increase in the loans we give to our customers which grew by 10.6% compared to the same period last year, up to Rwf500.7 billion. Meanwhile, savings also increased by 3.1% to Rwf492 billion,” he said.
BK Group Chief Commercial Officer General, Vincent Gatete said that among the reasons for the increase in savings and loans, including the fact that they have been increasingly approaching their customers and effort invested in easing access to services by means of technology.
He added that after establishing a system known as BKQuick, customers were interested in applying for loans by means of a mobile phone and in short period of time.
BK Group Plc, which is comprised of the Bank of Kigali, BK General Insurance, BK TecHouse which offers ICT services, and BK Capital which offers stocks and exchange market services.
The number of people using technology that facilitates farmers to access fertilizers provided by BK TecHouse known as ‘Smart Nkunganire’ hit Rwf1.5 million from Rwf1.2 million in the first six months of 2018.
Meanwhile, a technology known as ‘Urubuto Education system’ that is used to monitor child behavior at school is used by about 160000 people.
At BK General Insurance, the amount of money from insurances hit Rwf4.9 billion, equivalent to an increase of 66% compared to the previous year.
Profits expected from cross-listing on Nairobi Securities Exchange
Bank of Kigali’s Chief Operating Officer, Desire Rumanyika said that aside from being proud of the profits the bank has earned, they are also delighted to benefit from Kenya’s Securities Exchange market.
He also highlighted that the goal they set to rise BK Group PLC’s core capital which started with domestic stock and exchange market was achieved since the shares dedicated to existing shareholders were all bought and those who applied for the shares exceeded around 8% of available shares.
“More than 200 million shares we had floated were all purchased, and oversubscribed; we got Rwf60 billion. This shows that those who invested in the BK are financially optimistic, and they support our program to develop BK,” he added.
Aside from the rise in profitability, BK Group Plc’s total assets amounted to Rwf763.5 billion, an increase of 5% compared to the previous year.
Held at the Expo Ground in Gikondo, Kicukiro District, Kigali City in its 4th edition, the expo is running from 28th November to 4th December.
As she officially launched the ‘Made in Rwanda Expo 2018’ yesterday, November 30th, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Soraya Hakuziyaremye attributed the increase to different campaigns which were conducted by different public institutions sensitizing Rwandans to love products made in Rwanda.
“Since the Made in Rwanda’ expo started in 2015, the number of manufacturers in local industries as exhibitors has increased a lot. We ask Rwandans to come and participate in this exposition and witness the capacity our enterprises have reached so far,” Minister Hakuziyaremye urged.
She said that the Ministry chose to give free exposition stands in order to let Rwandans showcase what they produce in a more visible way in this year’s edition.
Minister Hakuziyaremye added that in the last three years when the Government launched a campaign to support products made in Rwanda, the local industrial sector has contributed to GDP by 16% from 14% in 2015.
This also has seen exports increase by 69% and a 4% decrease in imports.
The PSF Deputy Chairman Eric Gishoma said that an increase of exhibitors in Made in Rwanda expo from 260 in 2015 to 479 in 2018 is highly commendable.
Gishoma also said that there is still a long journey to improve mindsets of some Rwandan residents who still think products made in Rwanda do not comply with international standards and can’t compete at an international market.
“So far, we have seized 5,606 assorted pieces of banned bleaching products including lotions, oils, toilet soaps and sprays,” Commissioner of Police (CP) John Bosco Kabera, the RNP spokesperson said Thursday.
“The illegal products were seized from beauty shops in the City of Kigali, Eastern, Northern and Western provinces where the operations have been conducted so far,” he added.
Majority 4,470 pieces were seized in Kigali, 574 in the Northern while 445 and 117 were confiscated from shops in Eastern and Western regions, respectively, according to the report.
Among the products taken from shelves include Maxi-White, Skin White, Fair light, Secret White, Fair light, Secret White and Diamond White.
Others include Carotene, Diproson, Caro Light, Clear Men and Epiderm Crème.
These bleaching creams are on the list of 1,342 prohibited brands in Rwanda.
They contain hydroquinone often described as the ‘biological equivalent of paint remover’ in construction, and causing skin cancer.
If it enters the bloodstream it also results into fatal liver and kidney damage, although medics say the most immediate visible side effect is skin scarring.
Police said similar joint operations will also be extended in the Southern Province and across the country.
“This is a continuous operation that will not only get these illegal and harmful products from the market but also to fight trafficking of such,” the spokesperson said.
“Right now the focus is getting them off the shelves and educating the people both on the law and dangers they pose to users, but at the same time strengthening operations on traffickers of these toxic skin whitening substances,” he explained.
The skin bleaching products are labelled illegal under the ministerial order determining the list of cosmetics whose use is prohibited in Rwanda; law on organisation, functioning and competence of the Council of Pharmacists; law governing narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors in Rwanda; and the law relating to the regulation and inspection of food and pharmaceutical products.
CP Kabera warned traders against flouting the law and “poisoning people.”
He also appealed to the general public to facilitate the fight by both desisting from buying these harmful products and reporting traffickers and sellers.
The training started in Muhanga District in the Southern Province on Monday which is in RDB’s two-week programme to train people all over the country.
When he launched the training program, the head of customer care and regulation division at RDB Emmanuel Nsabimana, said that Rwanda has already realized that good service delivery is a channel of tourism and economic development in general.
“We have the goal to double tourism revenues to $800 million in 2024, from $404 million in 2016, and the only way to achieve this is to ensure that services are provided to at best,” he said.
He further said that the training will be conducted in six districts to assist leaders, service providers, suppliers of meals and beverages, cooks and hygiene personnel, to increase their knowledge of their clients’ needs, their expectations and what can be done to achieve it.
It is scheduled to be concluded on December 7, 2018, in Muhanga, Huye, Nyamagabe, Rusizi, Rubavu and Musanze districts where over 200 people will be trained in each district.
The Abahuzamibiri followers say that their prohibition of sex is based on the genesis incident between Adam and Eve when they had sex which has haunted the entire human race till now.
Instead, when you become a congregant, the church gives you a man or a woman that they consider a ‘spiritual mate’, with whom you will be having sex.
They are not allowed to own a mobile phone and paying for health insurance is unacceptable, let alone possessing an ID card.
The church originates from Ngoma District, Gashanda Sector, Giseri Cell where it was born in 1992. It relocated to Nyagatare District after its leaders’ disagreements.
Nyagatare District Mayor, David Claudien Mushabe confirmed to IGIHE on Thursday that Abahuzamibiri church leaders were arrested in the night of November 28, after they found them having locked themselves in the house.
“That’s true. We arrested them after finding them locked in the house. None of them is from this district and what they are doing doesn’t make sense,” he said.
The church leader, a one Nkunzurwanda told the media that they established it after reading the Bible and discerning its writings, most of which, he said, are disregarded by the Seventh Day Adventists.
He further said that among those arrested, included five men, three girls and one woman, most of whom are from the districts of Ngoma and Bugesera.
Angenie Nyirahabimana from Gashanda Sector told journalists that his husband abandoned the home with six children and immersed himself in church and its teachings.
“One of the children died for lack of health care. The religion apparently bars them from having health insurance. I reported to a police station in Nyagatare District where we had relocated and they told him to go home and look after the household. However, he did not go home but went back to the church,” she said.
There are reports that Nkunzurwanda, the church leader, also separated with his wife of five children for not fulfilling marital obligations including having sex.
