Payne who retired as a Minister Counselor after 23 years serving as a diplomat at U.S. Embassies in Rwanda, Iraq, Israel and Senegal; contributed greatly in the making of Rwanda’s Public Library.
While in Rwanda, she was a member of the Rotary Club Kigali-Virunga from 1999 and was first Chairperson of the Kigali Public Library, where she organized the first two major fundraising held at Residence of USA Ambassador; both graced by the presence of President Kagame.
In collaboration with different sponsors and the GoR, the first ever public Library in Rwanda was completed after 12 years, costing over Rwf4.1 billion.
The library, which is located in Kacyiru sector, Gasabo District, has several sections including children and teenagers and adult sections which all have shelves and reading areas, and a digital library, dubbed ‘Soma’, which enables students, readers, and other library users to access digital books.
Up to now, over 20,000 books are already available at the library, excluding e-resources.
Although she greatly contributed in bringing up the Public library project, Payne was not able to stay in Rwanda and see how the library upon completion.
On this Friday, after a short visit to the public Library, Payne told IGIHE “I am very proud of what has been achieved as this library shows how Rwanda became an example for all in Africa; how you look far and that whatever you set your heart upon, you reach it. It was not an easy task, but we never lost hope and we kept on trying because we knew we had to reach it.”
“My message is that they never lose hope and that they continue to work together in unity because nobody can achieve something of this extent, alone.” Payne remarked.
The President of Rotary Club Kigali-Virunga, Saudah Nalule, explained that Payne left Rwanda while the public library was still being built, meaning that she had no idea of how it had turned out to be.
“Payne only knew that the library had opened its doors but she had no idea how it looked like. It is our pride because children, students and academia from all over Rwanda come to use it. She originally came up with the idea, and now that she is here 17 years later, to find that her idea was successfully implemented, we are very happy. ” Saudah said
Saudah noted that before, members of the club were unsure of achieving a project of that extent, but with the big support of President Kagame, they were able to achieve it.
She expressed her gratitude, in the name of Rotary Club and noted that the Public Library project served as a lesson, that they could achieve a lot when united.
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Saudah remarked that the club was currently engaged in a project that focused on helping people living with cancer; as it is a disease that affects a great number of Rwandans.
She said that the club had learnt from one of the neighboring countries’ hospital where they set up a centre focused on Cancer, and raised funds so that each year, doctors could receive training on modern ways of treating cancer.
“It is a big project that we too, wish to realize. It cannot happen overnight, and will take probably up to five years to be completed, but we gave ourselves an objective to start this year.” She said
She further remarked that the club had talks with Kanombe Military Hospital, so that the project could also be implemented in Rwanda, in coming days.
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