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This impactful initiative commenced during “Umuganda” in Gatare Village, Niboye Sector, Kicukiro District, where GoodLife Pharmacy’s dedicated team engaged with the community. They emphasized the importance of holistic wellness and encouraged healthy living habits among the residents.

Under the guidance of the esteemed medical staff from Top Health Clinic, the pharmacy efficiently conducted testing and screening for chronic ailments such as diabetes and hypertension. NKAKA GATERA Daniel, the responsible Pharmacist of GoodLife Pharmacy Silverback, stressed the significance of self-care practices and the need for individuals to be mindful of their overall well-being.

“Goodlife aims to serve all categories of the population regardless of their income and to facilitate the access of health care products within the same facility”, he stated.

To sustain their commitment to the nation’s development, GoodLife Pharmacy plans to utilize the funds collected to continue providing screening services to the 100 selected individuals in need of ongoing support.

In addition to their remarkable healthcare efforts, GoodLife Pharmacy also initiated a unique concept in Rwanda, Refilling Station for essential hygiene products such as body wash, body lotion etc…and generously donated an array of the mentioned products. This contribution aims to enhance personal grooming, boost self-confidence, and foster a culture of self-care among the beneficiaries, while helping Rwanda in its fight against waste management and reduce the use of plastic from the cosmetic industry.

GoodLife Health and Beauty Pharmacy is dedicated to meeting the diverse health, beauty, and wellness needs of every Rwandan citizen. Established in September 2022, the pharmacy is conveniently located in the Kicukiro District, within the premises of Silverback Mall at Sonutube. Moreover, they have branches in Kimironko, Rwandex, Nyakabanda, and Musanze, ensuring accessibility across the region.

Notable among their offerings are dietary supplements, popular beauty products, slimming aids, children’s products, shampoos, massage oils, and various health-related items. They cater to individual preferences and offer affordable options that promote a healthy lifestyle. Goodlife Pharmacy is focused on customer care and provides delivery services while Top Health Clinic provides home visit consultations.

GoodLife Pharmacy takes pride in ensuring that customers find what they need to lead a fulfilled and vibrant healthy life.

From 1 to 3 May, some 60,000 people, mostly women and children, were affected by torrential downpours resulting in several landslides. The government registered 131 killed, 77 injured and 5 missing.

The Rwanda Red Cross Society deployed initial resources in coordination with movement partners and Government and launched a swift response in the hardest-hit districts, to address immediate needs and mitigate further impact, especially considering the expected continuation of the rainfall.

As per statement released today, the EU funds will support the Rwandan Red Cross Society (RRCS) in responding to the needs of the displaced households, including through WASH, health, livelihood and shelter assistance.

Modalities to combine cash and in-kind items will support early recovery of communities and ensure the dignity of beneficiaries. There will be an initial distribution of non-food items (NFIs) to 2,200 households, who will receive vital items such as jerry cans, kitchen sets, blankets, and plastic mats, to improve their living conditions in the aftermath of the disaster.

Additional cash assistance will be provided to 1,500 households to address their immediate food needs. Some 2,200 households will also receive WASH kits with soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and pads. 30 women associations will be supported with cash-for-work, indirectly benefitting 1,550 households and giving a push to the local economy. To address the psychological impact of the disaster, trained volunteers will offer support to the victims, assisting them in coping with the trauma they have experienced.

This project will run for four months, until late September 2023, and some 50,000 people will be reached with the direct assistance planned in the affected regions.

The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

{{About EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid}}

The European Union and its Member States are the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid.

Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world.

It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.

Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the European Union provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.

The European Union is signatory to a €3 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

{{About the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund}}

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1985 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The delegation agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit within its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €8 million.

This year’s theme “Empowering Entrepreneurs to Unlock Growth and Job Creation for Communities,” highlights the Company’s commitment to driving digital transformation and fostering economic growth within Rwanda.

21 Days of Y’ello Care encourages MTN employees to participate in high-impact social projects within their local communities. Under this program, MTN staff will carry out activities that empower grassroot entrepreneurs across all provinces within the country by conducting workshops that will focus on growing their businesses and ensuring its sustainability, enabling them with digital and financial tools, facilitating access to markets, and offering business mentoring and knowledge sharing.

“We are excited to be launching Y’ello Next Level under our flagship 21 days of Yello Care. There are a number of young entrepreneurs across the country that are putting in the work to build a better tomorrow for themselves and those in their community and we want to play our part in taking them to the next level by providing mentoring and knowledge sharing sessions. The young entrepreneurs will get a chance to be trained in various areas that make for a successful business operation and with these skills, we are confident they will be able to unleash their true potential,” said Mapula Bodibe, MTN Rwanda Chief Executive Officer.

With the rising need for job creation and economic development, MTN Rwanda Staff will focus on various areas of trainings which include Finance, Sales, and Marketing, Human Resource and Legal practices, and Mentorship.

At the end of the program participants will be provided with the opportunity to pitch their business plans to a panel of judges, which will result in the six (6) outstanding entrepreneurs in the areas of Digital, Arts and Crafts, Agriculture and Education receiving MoMoPay and MoMoBiz services, courtesy of Mobile Money Rwanda Limited (MMRL). The top three (3) entrepreneurs will be awarded cash prizes and will receive an Enterprise Business SME package that consists of Closed User Group (CUG), and MTN 4G data and voice services to take care of their communication needs for a period of six months.

“We want these bright young entrepreneurs to walk away from this Y’ello Next Level experience empowered with a new set of skills that they can implement in their businesses for the betterment of their own lives and that of their communities,” commented Sharon Mazimhaka, General Manager Corporate Services.

{{About MTN Rwandacell }}

MTN Rwandacell Plc (MTN Rwanda) is the market leader in mobile telecommunications in Rwanda.

Since 1998, the telecom has continuously invested in expanding and modernising its network.

MTN Rwanda offers various services to subscribers, including innovative propositions such as personalised voice and data offers with MTN Irekure.

The company is also the front runner in mobile financial services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, MoMoPay and MoKash Loans and Savings.

Running for three days in the Red City of Marrakech, Africa’s largest and most influential tech and start-up event is set to launch Africa into a golden age of digital inclusion, rallying the resilience of a youthful population and elevating tireless governments determined to redraw the boundaries of socio-economic development.

GITEX Africa is expected to attract tens of thousands of attendees from 120 countries in its debut edition, with powerful connections and valuable new relationships awaiting them in the form of 900 exhibiting tech companies and start-ups across 10 halls and 45,000sqm of exhibition space.

African tech’s showpiece event, officially inaugurated by the Moroccan Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, also features Africa’s most impactful leadership conference programme, with ten conference tracks exploring transformational topics advancing Africa’s digital agenda, from generative AI and digital cities, or Fintech and agritech, to healthcare, energy, innovation, sustainable development goals, and a spotlight on the world’s most exciting start-up ecosystem.

{{Forging public private sector alliances, augmenting socio-economic growth}}

GITEX Africa 2023 is held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI, and hosted by the Digital Development Agency (ADD), under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform.

The event is organised by KAOUN International, the overseas events organising company of Dubai World Trade Centre, which organises GITEX Global in Dubai, UAE, the world’s largest tech and start-up show, rated by tech executives as the world’s best global tech event.

Africa’s three-day hyper connector is also hosting for the first time the Smart Africa Digital Academy and the Council of African ICT Agencies (CAITA), the latest organ meeting of Smart Africa established to promote collaboration and cooperation in Information Communication Technology (ICT) investment across the African continent.

Smart Africa is an alliance of 37 African countries tasked with Africa’s digital agenda, to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the continent and usher Africa into the knowledge economy through affordable access to broadband and the use of ICTs.

“We are pleased to join forces with GITEX Africa to collocate high-level events including our first ever Council of African IT Agencies (CAITA),” said Smart Africa’s Director General Mr. Lacina Koné. “This is a crucial forum for IT agencies to discuss policy and regulatory issues affecting them and develop solutions together.”

Regional and international exhibitors spearheading the charge into GITEX Africa include American heavyweights IBM, Dell, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard; German software titan SAP; Lenovo, Huawei, and TP Link from China; DP World and the Technology Innovation Institute from the UAE; and Orange Maroc, Inwi, Maroc Telecom, and MTDS from Morocco.

Autodesk, the leading global software developer for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing and media & entertainment industries, is also participating at GITEX Africa to give regional talent the toolsets to support Africa’s digital aspirations.

Naji Atallah, Head of AEC and Manufacturing for EMEA Emerging at Autodesk, said: “By 2030, more than 50 percent of Africa’s population will live in cities, and with this increased urbanisation comes the urgent need to build better and more resilient cities, and to ensure that existing ones can grow more sustainably.

“This rapid growth, is in turn, accelerating the convergence of the construction, manufacturing, media and entertainment industries enabling a better way of designing and making things in four ways; workflow coordination, on-demand customization, visual creation and continuous reshaping of existing assets.”

{{Start-up founders battle for supremacy at Africa’s most valuable pitch competition}}

GITEX Africa 2023 has partnered with North Star, the world’s largest start-up event, converging more than 400 start-ups from 30 countries – 200 of which are international award-winners – presenting future-defining tech across multiple sectors, from agritech and sustainability, AI, and edtech, to fintech, healthcare, or mobility and smart cities.

Fujn from the USA is among the global start-ups looking to extend engagements, build connections, and scale imaginations with key stakeholders in the tech ecosystem. “Africa is the continent with the youngest most digitally native population,” said Khadija Khartit, the founder of Fujn, an integrated technology platform that upskills women in the future of work via online self-paced curated courses.

“Fujn focuses on the future of skills, work, and income for women, and we’re joining forces with GITEX Africa to enable a better future for African women by leveraging digital.

“We’re seeking hands-on collaborations with African governments, NGOs, universities, and corporations, to upskill and provide income opportunities for African women.”

The GITEX Africa Supernova Challenge, Africa’s most valuable start-up pitch competition with US$100,000 in cash prizes, will meanwhile see 70 disruptive start-ups from 31 countries battle it out for supremacy across two days of live pitches in front of a 13-strong judging panel of global VCs, angel investors, and accelerators, including Segun Cole, Founder of Fund the Gap Alliance, Nigeria; Janade Du Plessis, Fund Manager of Launch Africa, South Africa; and Vijay Tirathrai, Managing Director of Techstars from the UAE.

The shortlist of Africa’s most coveted start-up pitch competition was selected from more than 300 applications, representing nations from across the globe, including Cameroon, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Gambia, Ghana, India, Israel, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, UK, USA, and Zambia.

The event held in the Beninese Commercial Capital of Cotonou on Sunday May 28, 2023, was attended by officials of the Government of Benin, members of the Diplomatic Corps, UN family, Friends of Rwanda and the general members of the Rwandan community living and working in the country.

It was held under the commemoration theme: ‘Remember, Unite, Renew’.

Referred to as Kwibuka in Kinyarwanda, remembering the Genocide against the Tutsi offers a platform to honour the lives of the over a million lives lost and to accord them the dignity they were stripped of by the cold-hearted manner in which they were killed, and to recommit to the resolve to prevent similar atrocities anywhere in the world.

Mr. Theophile Rurangwa, Chargé d’Affaires at the High Commission of Rwanda in Ghana, who represented the Government of Rwanda at the event, thanked the participants for joining Rwandans in honoring the memory of the over one million innocent lives lost to the genocide against the Tutsi.

He also emphasized the need for all leaders to strive for justice and ensure that all perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi who are living in impunity three decades later are brought to book.

In this, he also highlighted the growing prevalence of genocide denial and revisionism and asked the International Community to uphold the fight against the ideology of genocide, particularly that which continues to be directed at the Tutsi including currently in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rwanda has over the last few decades been firm on the protection of civilians in any armed conflict including many where the country has been a troop contributor and calls upon the world to always stand with targeted communities and prevent genocide before it becomes too late like was the case when Rwandans were abandoned by the International Community in 1994.

The commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda also provides an opportunity to learn about Rwanda’s story of reconciliation and nation building, which has been led by Rwandans with the support of friends and partners.

In Rwanda, a national week of mourning for the over a million innocent lives starts every year on 7th-13th April, while commemoration activities continue throughout the 100 days period ending on July 3rd.

April 7th has also since 2018 been designated the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda by the United Nations and is commemorated every year at the African Union level in honor of the innocent lives massacred.