NAEB shows that the money was generated from 702 tons where a kilogram of Rwanda’s coffee stood at US$5.8 at the international market.
The main destinations of Rwanda’s coffee last week include the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany.
Meanwhile, the country exported 304.1 tons of tea which generated US$869,197. The main destinations were Pakistan, Egypt, Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom.
The country also exported 229.2 tons of flowers, fruits and vegetables US$535,857 in total.
The major markets for these products include the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Other agricultural exports include animal products which generated US$194,409; cereals, grains and flour (US$1,760,732), roots and tubers and other products whose main destinations were DRC, Qatar, and Ethiopia.
The initiative will be rolled out on collaboration between students, teachers, educational institutions as well as actors from the health sector, non-governmental organizations among others.
It will be done in such a way that the teachers themselves will be trained to treat Malaria patients without the support of community health workers.
The program is expected to reduce the severity and number of malaria cases in schools.
The ceremony to launch this initiative took place on Thursday, September 22, 2022 and brought together representatives from various institutions including Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB) and non-governmental organizations.
Malaria is currently an issue of global concern, with 240 million cases and 600,000 deaths registered in the past year. Of these, the disease killed from 70,000 to 110,000 children aged between five and 14.
In Rwanda, the disease still exists and kills many people. Statistics from RBC show that 998,874 people caught the disease in the year 2021/2022 which also claimed lives of 71.
From July up to date, 109,000 are reported to have caught the disease with the most vulnerable groups being students, fishermen and prisoners among others.
According to a study conducted by an organization dubbed Universal Health in Education in 15 schools in Kayonza District on 63,274 students indicated that 39,874 of them had fever while 19, 431 tested positive for malaria out of 38,502 tests.
This led to the idea to introduce programs creating the room for training of teachers and students about this disease so that they can treat colleagues like community health workers do.
Hassan Habimana, the legal representative of Universal Health in Education, said that training teachers to assist students within school premises instead of spending long time to get treatment was given high priority.
“We started in 2018, where our partner, Partners in Health, helped us to pay the community health workers who trained teachers. This initiative has proven to be successful in reducing Malaria in places where it was piloted,” he noted.
He explained that once they plan to expand this program throughout the country after acquiring official licensing.
Students trained under this initiative have hailed it for haing played a great significance to the fight against Malaria.
“The training enlightened us on how to prevent Malaria through the groups we worked with. We also had time to share acquired knowledge with our parents,” said Joel Niyonasenze from G.S Nyagasambu.
Christine Musabyeyezu, a teacher from G.S Kabarondo believes that Malaria has been reduced at her schools because they have been well trained and contributed to its eradication.
“When a student has a fever, we immediately work with the teacher on duty to treat him/her. If the student is diagnosed with Malaria, he/she he receives medicines and sent home where necessary,” he explained.
The Executive Secretary Rwanda NGOs Forum on HIV/AIDS & Health Promotion, Nooliet Kabanyana stressed that this activity will continue in other parts of the country in order to fight this disease with an active involvement of teachers and students.
As she says, the initiative targeted schools because students are among segments of the population vulnerable to Malaria.
Rwanda plans to cut Malaria by 50% from 2019 to 2024 Malaria.
RBC figures show that community health workers have played an important role in the fight against severe Malaria. The number has been dropping from 7054 cases in 2018/2019 to 4354 in 2019/2020, 2592 in 2020/2021 and 1833 currently.
The outcomes are also expected from trained teachers once the initiative is rolled out countrywide as highlighted by Epaphrodite Habanabakize, the head of Malaria Control Division at RBC.
“You know, it is said that 31% of Rwandans are in school. When you start a mission there and protect them, they go back to their homes and teach their families. We want to gather that group and make them participants so we can fight against Malaria together.”
The Head of ICT in Education Department at REB, Dr. Christine Niyizamwiyitira said observed launching these activities in schools is a good opportunity to cooperate with other institutions to make the program a success countrywide.
DRC has been accusing Rwanda of supporting M23 rebel group after resuming fight with Congolese Army (FARDC). Following the resurgence of the rebel group which accused DRC of failure to implement Nairobi peace accords signed in 2013, M23 has so far captured different areas including Bunagana town situated at the border with Uganda.
To find a lasting solution, East African countries agreed on the deployment of a joint regional force to fight armed groups in eastern DRC.
Speaking to Aljazeera; the President of Kenya, William Ruto has reiterated his country’s commitment to deploy troops because the issue of DRC affects the entire region.
He explained that the deployment was thoroughly discussed.
“I have had an occasion to have a discussion with President Tshisekedi, and I have also had an opportunity to speak to President Kagame. He has been forthright that they have nothing to do with M23. There are other people who think otherwise but we do not want to engage ourselves in blame games and finger pointing. We have to get our hands on it and sort out the issues,” he said.
“The good thing is that both President Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi are committed to making sure that we sort out that problem as a region. And that is why all our countries are contributing troops to stabilize that region,” added Ruto.
He hailed the contribution of his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta through the Nairobi process and reiterated commitment to continuing the journey to restore peace in DRC.
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Congolese President, Felix Tshisekedi recently agreed that regional troops continue to arrive in his country where Kenyans are expected in the near future.
Speaking to France 24 and RFI, Tshisekedi said that there are no specific timelines or deadlines for arrival but confirmed that Burundian troops are already deployed in DRC.
He explained that Uganda will send a small number of troops compared to other regional countries including Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania.
DRC has however boycotted the deployment of Rwandan troops amidst the ongoing tensions.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Alex Ndayisenga, the Northern Region Political and Civic Education Officer (RPCEO), said that two people have been arrested in connection with this smuggling and fraud.
Also impounded is the bus, which was used to transport the sacks of Novida from a point in Burera District, after they were sneaked into Rwanda from Uganda, through a porous border point.
Those arrested include the driver of the coaster bus, RAE 440N, which was hired to transport the smuggled goods, identified as Eliezer Nsengiyumva, 37, and one Fiona Girimbabazi, 28, who was overseeing the smuggling operation and had escorted the goods to the final destination in Musanze town.
“This was a successful operation based on credible information that the District Police Unit of Musanze had received from a responsive resident,” said SP Ndayisenga.
“The two arrested men were found in a hard-wall fenced house where the goods were being off-loaded from the bus. The alleged rightful owner of the seized goods is yet to be arrested,” he added.
SP Ndayisenga lauded the impact of the public in fighting crimes, including smuggling and fraud.
Article 199 of the East African Community Management Act, which is applicable in Rwanda, provides that seized smuggled goods be auctioned.
A vehicle intercepted transporting smuggled goods is also auctioned and the driver slapped a fine of US$5000.
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A taxpayer, who commits fraud, is subjected to an administrative fine of one hundred percent (100%) of the evaded tax and a likely imprisonment of between six months and two years.
RwandAir was ranked first out of ten other African airlines all contending for the top spot.
The carrier’s staff – both on the ground and in the air – were praised by airline customers for their excellent service.
The African carrier also won the award for ‘Best Cabin Crew in Africa’ and ‘Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness in Africa’, completing the trio.
Commenting on the development on 24th September 2022, RwandAir CEO, Yvonne Makolo, said that it induces pride to have the airline’s staff recognized for their dedication by Skytrax.
“We are delighted to know that our customers choose to fly with us and distinguish the level of quality of our service,” she noted.
The World Airline Awards began in 1999 when Skytrax launched its first global, annual airline customer satisfaction survey. They are referred to as the Oscars of the aviation industry.
Based in Kigali, RwandAir is one of Africa’s most ambitious airlines with a reputation for delivering a premium service to all its customers.
RwandAir currently operates to 28 destinations across 22 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
{{About RwandAir}}
Operating from Kigali, RwandAir is one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines and operates one of the youngest state-of-the-art fleets on the African continent. With a reputation for delivering a premium service to all its customers, RwandAir operates 12 aircraft with an average age of just under six years. The airline currently offers services to 28 destinations across 22 countries throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The motorcycle, TVS RD 282N, was reported stolen last year.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Hamdun Twizeyimana, the Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said that the victim, also from Gatsibo District, who was running personal errands at the time, found his motorcycle parked in Nyarubuye, and called the Police.
“The motorcycle was reported stolen last year, but on Friday at about midday, the victim found it parked in Nyarubuye, he did not know the person who had it; he called the Police,” said SP Twizeyimana.
“Police officers waited until the rider came to take the moto and took him into custody,” he added.
Mwizerwa alleged that he was given the motorcycle by another person in Kayonza District, whom he identified as Mukandamage Vestine.
It is the second stolen motorcycle recovered in the same district in one month.
Mwizerwa was handed over to RIB in Gatsibo as the search for his alleged accomplices is still underway.
The Ministry of Health said in a statement issued here Friday that in the last 24 hours, four more cases were registered, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country to 11.
The ministry also said three more deaths were recorded during the period, bringing the cumulative number of deaths to 11, including confirmed Ebola and suspected cases. Of these, eight deaths were from the community while three others were health facility based.
The statement said that currently there are 25 cases on admission at the health facility, out of which, six are confirmed cases while 19 are suspected ones.
The Ministry of Health teams are currently in Mubende district, the epicenter of the rare Ebola virus strain, carrying out contact tracing. Cumulatively 58 contacts have been listed, according to the ministry.
Uganda on Tuesday announced the outbreak of the rare Sudan Ebola strain after a 24-year-old male tested positive for the disease after being admitted to hospital.
Uganda said it is working with partners like the World Health Organization (WHO) to contain the spread of the disease.
The Ministry of Health urged the public to remain calm, practice preventive measures and report any suspected cases.
Ruth Aceng, the minister of Health is scheduled to hold a National Task Force meeting in Mubende to discuss measures of containing the disease.
Diana Atwine, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, told reporters that Uganda has the capacity to contain the disease, drawing from past experience.
“There is no need to panic at all, because Uganda is well known for handling epidemics. We have built capacity and we want to assure the public that we shall contain this epidemic,” Atwine said.
Ugandan scientists say they are still investigating the source of the current outbreak, warning that there is no vaccine against the Sudan strain, unlike the Zaire strain. They urge the public to install hand washing facilities in all public places as one of the measures to fight the epidemic.
Uganda’s neighbors — South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania — have issued Ebola alerts, urging their citizens to be vigilant and report any suspected cases.
The Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise, and in many cases internal and external bleeding.
Mortality rates of Ebola fever are extremely high, with the human case fatality rate ranging from 50 percent to 89 percent, depending on the viral sub-type, according to the WHO.
Felix Kulayigye, a military spokesperson, tweeted that the MI-24 helicopter developed a mechanical fault while in flight and the pilot made an emergency landing.
“Fortunately no casualties both to the occupants of the plane and on the ground,” he said.
Kulayigye said a team has been dispatched to the crash site from the air force headquarters to establish the cause of the accident.
Last year in February two cadet trainees of the Uganda military were injured when a military helicopter they were traveling in crash-landed soon after take-off at the Entebbe International Airport, 40 km south of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. The February accident occurred just after a week when another Ugandan military helicopter crashed in Somalia, injuring four soldiers on an African Union peacekeeping mission.
In January 2020, the military lost two soldiers in a Jet Ranger which crashed in the central district of Gomba.
This cooperation between Rwandan and Chinese doctors started through the Chinese government’s program known as “The Belt and Road ‘Global Partnership seed fund project’”, which aims to cooperate with developing countries in the health sector.
Dr. Muhuza Marie Parfaite Uwimana, from Rwanda who s currently pursuing her Master’s degree at Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University of School of Medicine along with her two colleagues, Gihoho Mutangana Justine and Cyuzuzo Cynthia are among those who managed to present a good project to work with Rwandan doctors through their project known as “Khiliads.”
Khiliads aims to educate and train people about social welfare.
Dr. Muhuza says that this program will benefit Rwandan doctors because it will support their research where they will have an opportunity to share knowledge.
“This project will support researchers, doctors who want to do research, nurses, or medical students. Those who participate in the research will be rewarded through the program. There will also be ways to train and exchange knowledge in reducing the number of maternal and child deaths in Rwanda.”
On Friday, September 16, 2022, Chinese doctors held a meeting with their Rwandan colleagues, with the aim of ensuring that the health of the pregnant mother is taken care of and train girls and women adequately on reproductive health.
The Chinese medical team consisted of Dr. Xiaohui Zhang, representative of Women’s Social Affairs in China, Prof. Jun Zhu, head of women and children’s supervision in China and Prof. Qiong Luo, head of Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine.
Rwanda’s team was composed of Prof. Stephen Rulisa, head of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Rwanda, Dr. Kayigema Eugene who works as a midwife at Kanombe Military Hospital, and Dr. Justine Mutangana who is working at Kibagabaga Hospital.
The discussions focused on how the health of a pregnant woman in Rwanda is taken care of hand in hand with the health of the unborn child.
These Rwandan doctors have shown that even though the country has made good progress in reducing maternal deaths, there is still a problem that some mothers still die after birth as a result of severe bleeding or ‘infection’ from surgical wounds.
Their counterparts from China have shown that they also faced these problems but managed to overcome them.
It is expected that through the program, 100 pregnant women in Rwanda will be subscribed to Mutuelle de Santé.
These farmers revealed that the crop has helped them to improve their livelihoods and expressed delight for received cows from SOPYRWA and price increment which encourages them to continue working hard to achieve envisioned progress.
At least 50 farmers were given cows by SOPYRWA while 80 received beddings in Northern and Western provinces.
Elias Kanyamuhanda received a cow on behalf of his father who emerged among excellent pyrethrum farmers.
Aged 86, his mother has been growing pyrethrum for 48 years.
“I am the eldest son of that old woman. All my siblings are educated and have a good life, all because of the pyrethrum. In 1976 the pyrethrum helped us move from a grass thatched house into a decent house. We are thankful that the leadership has been extending support to pyrethrum farmers. It is also our great pleasure to receive cows as they will serve as source compost leading to increased quantity and quality yields,” he said.
Olivier Tuyizere, a 28-year-old resident of Shingiro sector in Musanze District, has been growing pyrethrum for three years. He attested that this farming changed his socio-economic status.
“It has changed my livelihood. I used to be in the first Ubudehe social-economic category but I have joined the second one. I have built a house in which I live together with a wife and children,” he said.
Marceline Nyiransabimana, who also lives in Shingiro Sector, said the Rwf100 increment per kilogram will help them fast track their development goals.
“Increasing the unit price gives us optimism for my family’s bright future. Besides, the received cow will help me get enough milk for my family and share with neighbors. We will expend much more effort to maximize to the fullest, all benefits from the agriculture of pyrethrum,” she noted.
Gabriel Bizimungu , the General Manager of HORIZON SOPYRWA, a company producing and processing pyrethrum, said that they increased pyrethrum’s unit price in consideration of rising food prices and farmers’ requests.
He revealed that they will assess the possibility to continue increasing it every year for farmers to generate good returns from their produce.
“It induces pride to see residents attain progress. It is a privilege for Rwanda that countries like China, USA, and others prefer our pyrethrum. This requires us to increase productivity. In light of this, we will do everything possible to make it. To help farmers preserve crops, we are going to build a decent dryer starting next week to avoid rain related ravages,” he said.
Fidèle Hakizimana, an employee from the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) assured farmers that pyrethrum is highly needed at the global market.
“Have you ever heard of a disease that affected maize? It was defeated by applying pesticides extracted from pyrethrum. Medicines from the crop were also used to fight Ubuganga [the Rift Valley Fever Disease]. You can understand how it is helping to change the lives of the people,” he said.
