{{Richard Peers, 27, a coach at Hale United JFC and director of charity Orphan UK, led a group of Conservative volunteers on a month-long trip in the country as part of the party’s Project Umubano created by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2007. }}
The project works with communities in Sierra Leone and Rwanda. While in Rwanda, the team held training sessions with over 500 children and worked with football coaches.
They also handed over 2,000 football kits, from the charity Afrikit donated by several football clubs including Manchester City and Stockport County.
Richard, a former Trafford Council candidate, said he had been inspired by the confidence, happiness and skill of Rwanda’s young footballers.
He also said that there’s a serious lack of equipment and that the soccer talents here could be going to waste.
“Many of the children play football barefooted and often with plastic bags wrapped in rubber bands as balls, yet most possess skills worth of British Academy players.
“We hope that through working closely with the Rwandan children, we have empowered them to gain an increased confidence not only to express their talents in sport but also to work hard to help Rwanda continue to grow as a model of African development.” Richard pointed out.
{below we bring you the last part of the refugee series}
{{…….In an interview with Director of Refugee Affairs, Jean-Claude Rwahama ,was unaware of their struggle to become recognized and said perhaps this was something for the Ministry of Education to work on. He agreed that , “ Human beings must have the right to education.”}}
However, not much initiative seemed to be taken by MIDIMAR or MINED to help the school in their struggle.
For the moment, it seems no solution lies in the near future for the students and as they lose motivation, many lose sight of their own hopes and dreams. Graduating in to nowhere, most turn to finding the only means of survival they can access.
For young girls, this is often maid services and prostitution, and sometimes one that may turn into the other. For young boys, the options are more diverse, ranging from construction to drug deals to odd jobs to house boys, but even they are not protected from assault.
Despite this, Fidele tries desperately to hold on to the slight glint left in his aging eyes. He, himself, is a meager twenty three years of age, but this is easy to forget.
“My students I tell them, even if we are stuck in a difficult life, we need to find the strength to get through it ourselves. I want them to know this is not the end of life.”
{{Food Verses Water}}
Trotting out of the health center to head into the residences, we almost bumped straight into a one-legged man digging soil into water.
He hopped from one side of the pile to the other, efficiently uncovering more dry dirt to create this make shift cement. The balancing act had been mastered over the 50 years that he had lived with polio.
Emmanuel Byanze has been in the camp for twelve years now, and squinted through his old eyes at the now blazing sun, he tells us he has five kids and a wife.
“Not bad for a lame man, eh? ” he tells us baring his missing teeth into a grin.
All his children are in school, and as the man, he tried to bring what little he can home. Struggling for odd jobs here and there, today he considers himself lucky. He was being paid 400 Rwf. for digging dirt the entire day.
Currently, residents are provided 7 kilograms of maize per month per person; it used to be 10. According the UNHCR’s June 2011 Fact Sheet for Gihembe although 2,100 Kcal/p/day was the agreed upon ration, only 1,997 Kcal was able to be provided. Any other food needs, such as vegetables or fruits must be bought outside of the camp, by selling the little food they receive.
The food shortage was caused by the drought affecting the horn of Africa, where WFP obtains its food supply. Fortunately, beginning mid-august WFP will be restoring food supply back to normal levels, with an addition bonus of the 4 kilograms lost in the past month.
A further complaint explained in hush tones by camp leaders was the practice of determining the size of your family in allocating food rations.
“If you have more than three people in your family, they sometimes question whether or not someone is your child claiming they have different skin tones.
Then they only provide you with food for three instead of four,” Zone leaders informed us.
The frustration lying on the otherside of food distribution however, tells a different story. Refugees are sometimes found bringing neighbors children with them when it comes time for food allocation, in a desperate attempts to obtain more food for their own family.
However, this practice ultimately takes away from the overall food supply for refugees and miscalculates the total numbers living in the camp.
For many residents the food they receive is unlikely to reach the table, due to a recent shortage of water and lack of firewood.
“Since May we have stopped depending on water or firewood,” Ferediana Muhundekazi, 60, informed us.
As a woman strolls by with her familiarly empty water jug, she tells us, “ I will return probably after four and half hours after I have fetched some from the nearest foothill.”
The firewood shortage has occurred for two months, due to an increase in prices by the local provider. Fortunately, UNHCR is aware of the issue and is working to restore firewood provisions in the near future.
Corretta Nyirandabaruto of Zone 7 is 42 years old with 8 children and a husband to support, and not exactly shy. “My regular day consists of waking up at 5 to find work for sometimes as little as 150 Rwf. for the day and return at 5pm to buy food with this money. But then even after I buy food, I find there is not water to cook it,” she tells us.
“Even the way they supply food has become irregular. Just yesterday they gave our whole family only 3 kilograms of beans to last the entire month. From this we even have deducted some to sell to buy water and firewood.”
“The UNHCR minimum standards are 20 liters per person per day. This standard is reached in 2 of the 3 camps, but recently at Gihembe camp, refugees have not been receiving this amount. UNHCR and its Partners are doing everything they can do redress the problem,” UNHCR External Relations Officer Anouck Bronee told us.
According the UNHCR’s June 2011 Fact Sheet for Gihembe, the current amount received on average is now 10 liters/person/day. EWSA, Rwanda’s national power and water distribution company is unable to provide adequate water supplies to the camp, leaving UNHCR with no option other than to truck water from over 30 kilometers away. Despite there, efforts however, a durable situation has yet to determined.
With this shortage of water, it is known that overcrowded sanitation will be taking a hit, leaving many more vulnerable to sanitation related diseases such as cholera. With currently only 171 communal latrines in use for a population of over 20,000, sanitation may not be in the best place to be compromised.
A recent report from UNHCR Rwanda stated, “The lack of sufficient space in the camps means that houses are built very close to each other, which raises sanitation and hygiene-related problems.”
“ In addition, the size of a standard house is very small. Each 3x4m (12m²) house is intended to accommodate four persons; but very often, each house accommodates six, seven or eight people. Spacing is so limited that children are sent out to sleep with neighbors – a practice that has serious security and safety implications, especially for females,” the report pointed out.
Unfortunately, this is an issue only the Rwandan government can address as this population rapidly grows without any more land allocation since their meager beginnings in 1997. Currently, over 20,000 residents are residing in a living space originally allocated for 14,000. With the current land shortage in Rwanda, MIDIMAR is not readily looking to provide land for this population.
To the question of firewood Bronee, and UNHCR Camp Director, Richard Ndaula told us, “Each month, 800 steers of firewood are distributed in Gihembe camp and in Kiziba camp (Karongi District); while Nyabiheke, owing to its smaller population, receives 700 steers. The steers are then distributed among households.”
“Of course, everybody knows when you send a girl to fetch water or firewood, they could easily be molested or raped. But in our culture, it is so shameful most will not even tell you if it has happened,” Coretta explained matter-of-factly.
{{A Dangerous Asylum}}
Corretta points to a plot of flat rubble, and says, “ This is where a house fell down and killed a family last year.” She continued walking as she said this; apparently it was not the most interesting news she had to tell us.
Experiencing the refugees ever transient and harsh living conditions, it maybe be easy to believe almost every devastating story that comes to ear. One almost feels guilty not to. However, as we came to discover, the facts sometimes simply did not match up with the refugees dire tales.
As we walked through the residences, local men showed pointing to various dirt mounds, they informed us that these were covered latrine pits. Over 11 children has fallen and died into these pits, they lamented.
Most recently a bizarre incident involving the death of three young children 11 year-old Paul Mugisho, Denise Nyinawabeza and 13 year-old Ingabire Muhoza occurred. The three were sent to fetch white mineral sand from the pit that stretched to the size of a miniature canyon, when they an avalanche of loose rocks and sand engulfed them, instantly taking their lives.
Mother of one of the deceased girls, Mahoro Nyirakamana told us this is not the first death of among her children, “We escaped death 17 years ago in Congo but there is another kind of war here in the camp, our people are dying day and night”.
Sister Feza Barmurange 36 whispered to us, “ We just keep her close because she keeps speak of suicide.”
It was the fifth house we had walked into that day without a visible mosquito net.
After further investigation into why these children were sent to fetch this sand in the first place, we uncovered another layer to this story.
Thadeo Gatanazi, father of one of the deceased explained, “We are required to paint our houses with the sand, to receive a tent to prevent leaks into our house. We have to get that white sand, and that pit is the only place you can get it.”
Currently 3000 tents sit in stock at the camp, yet to be given out to those who need them.
The funeral for the three children and one other lost to “sanitation problems,” took place later that evening.
Gatanazi went on further to tell us, “But to get to solution to such problems, leaders should always first understand the impact of their decisions before requiring us to obtain that sand or they should adopt alternatives and bring the sand to us.”
Despite the refugees many complaints about camp leaders, many are working hard to push for an increase in camp safety, but find it difficult to do so without adequate local resources and the rapidly growing refugee population.
Other men congregated in the house chimed in with numerous anecdotes.
One anonymous leader added, “Top leaders do not want us to expose problems here to the public because they are afraid of what will happen. But sometimes what they do is just not right.”
The truth in these statements however, proved to be little. In fact, more often than not many refugees in desperation choose to blame local camp leaders for their current limbo, and for care takers attempting to provide for all their needs, this does not make their task any easier.
Richard Ndaula, UNHCR Head of the Field Office in Gihembe refuted these claims and simply said; “It was a tragic and very sad incident, but then I wonder why the activity was done by children instead of their parents.”
He added the requirement is a part of various projects going on in the camp including a shelter project where the ARC is constructing and requiring refugees to plaster the house themselves in order to empower refugees to be self-sufficient and reduce dependence on to hand-to-mouth aid.
Ndaula said the policy has been there for over the last 10 years.
In addition to bizarre safety related accidents involving young children inside the camp, adolescents face great vulnerability to safety breaches outside the limits of the camp.
“Life for girls is the worst because when we can’t feed them, they go into town to sell themselves to soldiers or as house girls for food. We tell them not to, but what can we do when we do not want them to starve?” Seremi Enock 36 pointed out to us.
“Boys they find other means, sometimes stealing or becoming vagrants. Some work as houseboys, but are actually forced into relationships with their owner, then come home with diseases.”
Currently, only one police officer from the local district is assigned particularly to the Gihembe refugee camp, with the aid of 25 Refugee security guards.
In the most recent report from UNHCR, it seems officials are aware of most of these issues and are working to help prevent them in the future. Bronee told us, “Some of the challenging issues are funding for secondary education, security in the camp, problems relating to ‘community behavior’.”
Community behavior ranges from teaching children the importance of respecting parental authority, of attending school, of staying away from delinquency and other disruptive behaviors, and on the preventing Gender-Based Violence and HIV/AIDS.
{{The Strangers in the Mountains}}
As we walked away from the lives families that had ushered us excitedly into their 3 by 4 meter houses, we questioned if any sources of reprieve existed in this place.
What do you do for fun here? We asked the eagerly awaiting women. They laughed, but not as heartily as we would have liked.
“We pray,” they said smiling for the first time, “ Sometimes to forget what happened, sometimes to forget what is happening.”
The Gihembe camp’s population has not received any new asylum seekers since 2009. It is growing at a rate of 30 children per month, and since its opening in 1997 has grown naturally from 14,000 to 20,000 residents.
The eastern province of the DRC remains volatile with the presence of FDLR instilling great fear in the residents of North and South Kivu.
Rwanda hosts approximately 55,000 refugees from its neighboring countries with 95% of the population originating from the Eastern DRC particularly from the North and South Kivu regions.
Close to 97% per cent of the refugees in Rwanda are camp-based; they either reside in one of the 3 refugee camps, or are transiting in one of the two Transit Centers on the Congolese border.
Among a rapidly grown population, in 2010 UNHCR’s Annual Program Budget was cut from USD 8,174,298 in 2009 to USD 3,999,256, a 48% reduction. Of the total operational budget for 2011, USD 10,550,075 was used for care and assistance programs for over 55,000 camp-based and urban refugees. That is barely USD 200 per person annually.
How the UN is even managing to uphold adequate operations on this budget is truly amazing. However, it is impossible to continue on this path.
Moreover, at Gihembe, it is difficult to find a resident who has not been residing in the camp for over a decade, or children who have not spent their childhood in the camp. Many have never even seen their “country of origin” and others hardly remember what it looked like. For thousands of children, Rwanda is the only country they have ever known.
{{More often not, residents are confused}}
As those above 16 undergoe the process of receiving their Refugee ID card, they know they will not be given the same benefits as Rwandese. The progress of Rwanda in providing Mutuelles, adequate food programs and education for all, will never be their own.
And as Mahoro Nyirakamana, told us emptily as we left her home, “We don’t know where we are going anymore.”
With inadequate funds, a growing population and many who are more familiar with Rwanda than the Congo, the time has come to question whether or not we must change our approach their futures, and therefore, their present.
For UNHCR, this is what they have termed finding a “durable solution,” and is something that has been on their minds for a long time now.
There are three main options: Voluntary return, integrate locally or resettled into a third country. Local integration is unlikely understand Rwanda’s densely populated country and land shortage.
In regards to voluntary return, Bronee explained to us, “Indeed the situation in their country is still volatile. As a result, an organized return by UNHCR presents certain risks for them; therefore, we are not promoting voluntary repatriation. This does not mean to say that refugees are not free to return to DRC spontaneously.”
The last option of resettlement depends highly on neighboring countries and cannot help the majority living in Rwanda.
As Bronee concluded, “The situation for Congolese refugees in Rwanda is protracted, sensitive and difficult. In the meantime, and until the situation in DRC improves, UNHCR and the Government of Rwanda will continue to assist and protect these refugees within Rwandan borders.”
As they look toward their futures, with a half empty pockets, the UNHCR has not lost hope for those under their care. But without the due return of their budget back to functioning levels, and no durable solution in sight, the refugees of Gihembe may remain strangers in mountains, lost indefinitely.
{{A Monetary Policy and Financial Stability Statement released recently by the central bank indicates that there has been an increase in Rwanda’s exports and imports both in volume and value in this year’s first half.}}
According the 34-pages statement, exports and imports are key indicators of economic activities that have contributed to the country’s economic growth and believed to keep it stable despite the prevailing uncertainties in the regional economy.
The region has faced Fuel and food inflation and prolonged drought that have drastically reduced production.
“Export volume and value recorded a significant increase of 58.2% and 48.1% respectively while imports volume and value increased by respectively by 13.2% and 14.6%,” the statement reads in parts.
However, despite the strong increase in exports, the trade deficit deteriorated to US $ 587.5 million against US $ 543.7 million recorded at end of June 2010. However,the coverage of imports by exports has increased to 20.9% end June 2011 from 16.2% end June 2010.
It is believed that when informal cross border trade is included, this coverage rate of imports by exports rises to 25%.
The main Rwanda export commodities remain the traditional ones such as coffee, tea and minerals representing 72% of total export values during the first half of 2011.
The monetary policy and financial stability statement released and distributed by central bank (National Bank of Rwanda),indicates that Tea exports recorded good performance with an increase of 4.1% in volume from 12,811 tons in January-June 2010 to 13,331 tons in January-June 2011 and an increase of 10.1% of value.
The mining sector has also contributed to growth both in economy and increase in exports as it continues to grow till this first half of 2011 recording an increase of 54% to 163.2 % in value reaching USD 72.5 million from USD 27 million respectively due to a significant increase in global prices by more than 70% in average.
Non-traditional export products have also shown a good performance, mainly due to the increase in export of live animals, vegetables, mineral water, beer, cosmetics products and textile products.
It is indicated that major part of these non-traditional exports went to DR Congo and Burundi except handcrafts that are mainly exported to developed countries like USA and UK.
Rwanda’s informal trade balance is said to be overall in surplus dominated by DR Congo on export side and Uganda on import side.
Rwanda’s import products are dominated by agriculture and animal products while imports are dominated by products such as maize flour, sugar, onion, banana for cooking, ground nuts, soap products, cleaning products, cement to mention but a few.
Rwanda’s total trade value with its neighboring countries recorded an increase from US $ 278 million to US $ 567.5 million in 2010, driven mainly by imports.
On the other hand this year’s imports seem to have slowed down due to a decline in imports of cereals and vegetables resulting from the drought that affected the region, and the increase in the domestic production.
It has been projected that Rwanda’s economy is likely to rise beyond the initial projection despite the expected adverse impact of rising fuel and food prices.
According to the IMF estimates of June 2011, the global economy continues its recovery process led by emerging and developing countries while developed countries, economic activity remain sluggish.
This year the global economy is expected to grow by 4.3% down from 5.1% in 2010 and in developed countries, economic growth is projected at 2.2% while in the emerging and developing economies it is expected to reach 6.6%, as compared to 3.0% and 7.4% respectively in 2010.
{{Kigali City Council represented by its Mayor Fideli Ndayisaba has signed a construction deal of three commercial complexes worth over Rwf 41bn with local investors.}}
The Rwandan investors are three companies formed by successful local businessmen that jointly registered their investment companies including Champion Investment Cooperation (CHIC), Genimo and Kigali Real Estate Developers.
“Our goal is to realize a dream of making Kigali City a destination of investment and make it a modern city,” Ndayisaba said before signing agreements with the three companies.
“Investment in Rwanda is not only for foreign investors but also potential Rwandan investors. They are bringing capital formation,” Ndayisaba added.
Ndayisaba says the construction of three commercial complexes will contribute to the new shape of a required modern city and contributing to the realisation of the Kigali city Master Plan.
He also said that all these complexes will be constructed where government owned property have been because it gives priority to investors.
“The Government encourages investors and gives a green light to investment, that is why government gives a way her own property,” he emphasized.
Ndayisaba warned that no one will be allowed to continue construction of these estates if there are no planed infrastructures in place first because of previous mistakes of poor city planning which have to be corrected.
The projects expected to be completed in three years include a 12-storey commercial complex worth Rwf 25bn to be built at Muhima Technical School (ETO Muhima).
The Muhima project belongs to Champion Investment Cooperation (CHIC), a consortium of 65 traders in Kigali trading centre.
Tharcisse Ngabonziza, the head of CHIC, says each member of their joint company will contribute about Rwf 70 million for the project of completing the 12-storied complex which will have shopping malls, hotels and a hospital.
The school will be relocated to Kicukiro College of Technology (KCT) for Kigali International Academy in Kicukiro District.
Other projects are an eight-storied Apartment hotel worth US$15m (approx Rwf 8.9b), to be built at the former military court premises in Nyarugenge District and Kigali Tower valued at US$12.6m (approx Rwf 7.5b) to be constructed at the former office of tourism (ORTPN) headquarters, also in Nyarugenge District.
The apartments Hotel will be built by GENIMMO Group, a subsidiary of SORAS insurance company, while Kigali Tower, owned by Kigali Real Estate Developers.
The three complexes were purchased at Rwf 1.374bn with two plots to accommodate 12 storied complexes and one with the one for GENIMMO to have 8 storied houses.
Robert Bapfakureka, the Chairman of Kigali Real Estate Developers, says their project will be co-funded by a Ugandan based investment group Mukwano Industries commonly known for plastic, soap, cooking oil products.
{{Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT), an international NGO in partnership with Business Development Centers has awarded certificates to the 80 participants trained at Gatenga, Kicukiro district.}}
DOT enables people to access and apply business information and communications technologies (ICT), to create education, economic and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Exclusively speaking to igihe.com, Emmanuel Nzeyimana, DOT Rwanda Program Manager noted, “the main issue of these trainings is to fight poverty but with the use of Information Technology.”
“Our intension is to empower women and the youth particularly with capacity to develop business skills because some of the business people we train have little knowledge to develop businesses and we want to reduce the problem,” he added.
Pierre Cerestine Ubitsemunda a father of four children says, “I have spent four years with the project of rearing rabbits and chicken but operating on a small space. After the training, I leant that, the place where I was working from was so small and now I have to widen my business because I feel I have all the skills due to the knowledge obtained here.”
Emanuel Munyentwari of ‘Business Agricole et Veterinaire’ who has spent 13 years in business from gatenga Sector kicukiro district noted, “I am a high school dropout and all these years I never knew how business can be expanded. So after the 1 month training together with my wife, we have managed to start up another project of samosa processing with the use of modern technology while using a machine that will produce over 8000 samosas per hour.”
He added that he got the idea with the use of internet research of which he studied during the training.
DOT has since trained 2000 people on empowerment, technology and business skills.
{{Exactly one year ago the media fraternity, lovers of sports and the country as a whole lost one of their own and an asset to the community: Shyaka Claver.}}
In a sudden death due to heart complications, one of the founders of sports journalism in Rwanda was gone but the impact of his work will live on forever.
Shyaka Claver was born in Uganda on the 23rd October 1978. He started presenting the sports show at Radio 10 in late 2004 but also did more as he presented an Education show.
His memorial service today began with a church service which was held in the morning and was succeeded by a visit to the grave at 1:30 pm. The memorial service was then completed at the national stadium with two friendly matches.
Shyaka Claver was involved in mentoring young children playing soccer around the country and was known for his attendance at training grounds for children to take a look at the developing talent.
It is in this light that the first memorial game was between two teams that he had mentored: “11 rapide” and Esperance. The game ended with Esperance winning 4 goals to 2 of “11 rapide”.
An excitement filled friendly-match followed between sports journalists and ULK students who studied with Shyaka Claver before his demise. The game ended on a happy note with the ULK students scoring 6 goals to 2 goals of the journalists.
Shyaka Claver will be remembered for his work in founding and promoting sports journalism and professionalism in Rwanda that was nonexistent barely 7 years ago. He was also a husband to Peace Batamuliza Shyaka, a father to two beautiful daughters, a friend to many and an impact on the whole journalism arena in Rwanda.
{{Rwanda will host the 7th Africa Budget Reform Initiative (CABRI) on August 17 at Serena Hotel.}}
The seminar will bring together senior budget officials from across Africa to share knowledge on common challenges of budget implementation on the continent.
Elias Bayingana, the Director of National Budget in the ministry of finance and economic planning noted that Rwanda was chosen as the host country due to its progress in the implementation of budget.
“The big change has been due to the implementation of the public finance management reform in 2006 which mainstreams gender and ensures that programs are at the grass root level are also financed,” said.
And even though Rwanda has achieved remarkable progress in public finance management in a relatively short period, there are still a number of challenges and this seminar will provide an opportunity for experience sharing among the peers, especially in addressing the difficulties.
“We have a problem of lacking professional personnel but we do our best to improve delivery through conducting capacity building trainings” the director stressed.
Other challenges on the implementation of budget reforms and execution are that: “African public financial management (PFM) systems generally suffer from an implementation deficit; laws and processes may be in place but seldom affect actual behavior,” Matt Andrews had said in last year’s conference in Tunis.
The 7th CABRI Annual Seminar will explore the reasons and identify possible solutions for the implementation deficit.
The focus will be on three implementation challenges in particular, how to create organizational structures that are most conducive to help pubic financial management.
CABRI events provide an opportunity for senior budget officials to connect and exchange experiences and knowledge with their African peers. More than 32 African countries participate regularly in CABRI events.
Rwanda is one of the CABRI founding members and sits on the Management Committee.
{{Rwanda’s driving schools proprietors have appealed to the national police to consider suspending general tests of provisional and permanent permits. The move will oblige all driving permit seekers to undergo training from credible driving schools.}}
Rumashana Alphonse, Director of United Driving School says he appreciates the National police’s technologic progress in issuance of permits but suggests that Police should sensitize permit applicants to attend driving schools.
He further observed that all applicants should attend final tests in driving schools where they can gain more knowledge about traffic rules.
The Traffic Police Chief, Vincent Sano said, the process of registering people using new technology is ongoing since February 2011.
He further told the school proprietors that, mass traffic tests would be abolished and whoever needs a license in future will be asked to first attend a driving school.
In order to reduce a huge number of people in need of driving permits, Sano said: “Three general tests shall be conducted in a year and two monthly tests shall also be done at the invitation of driving schools,.”
The Commissioner General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana added that national police’s vision is to fasten new technologies in daily activities.
Gasana further urged driving school owners to increase their presence in other provinces outside Kigali City and promised the public that, the delay of driving license will be soon solved within a month after the test.
Habimana François, director of a driving school in Musanze District says, some people easily pass driving tests with the knowledge of traffic rules which could protect Rwandans from road accidents.
National police changed the questioning method using “Yes” or “No” in answering which gives more work to driving schools in teaching traffic rules.
The Acting Director General of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) Eng. Gatarayiha Régis said that: “The inspection team of driving schools will be set up and will include RURA, MININFRA and RRA to ensure quality standards”.
Police says so far, the registered driving schools in the country are 23 and at least 30 more are set to be established countrywide in 2011
{{PEARSON a renowned publisher from the UK August 11 cerebrated the business partnership with the Ministry of Education and Drakkar Limited in delivery of books to Rwandan schools.
}}
During the event held at Mille Collines Hotel the company’s Sales Manager for African Sarah MC lean said that the cooperation with local authors shows that local writers have potentials to the career.
She observed that they still have a long way to go in terms of skills. However, she said that the East African publisher affiliated to Pearson has been improving their performance by merging them with experienced authors in the region.
“The cooperation is marvelous especially when you read a book titled ‘New Primary English’ co-authored by Emmanuel Murenzi and Uganda’s James Lyagoba. It has been very instrumental especially in teaching English,” said Rosebelle Otieno from East African Publishers.
Despite the progress, a good number of interested Rwandan authors are discouraged by the unstable book market and high cost authors incur when publishing books.
Murenzi, one of the upcoming writers urged publishers to support local novelists particularly talented ones who lack financial means.
The Director General in the ministry of education Erasme Rwanamiza argued that local authors shouldn’t be discouraged to compile their knowledge into writings since there are many ways to disseminate knowledge to the world by the use of new media which consist of websites and social sites.
Locally the poor reading culture on one hand has been a major hindrance as the majority with writing talents do not start at an early stage.
“I have written a chemistry book but its practical part is not widely used since majority of schools lack laboratory equipment. Scientific practicals are essential but I see less efforts being put in place to equip all schools with basic instruments,” Lwishi Kasanyandjo, a science teacher at Kagarama high school lamented.
Pearson has 24 NCDC (National Curriculum Development Center) approved titles on core primary and secondary subjects in Rwanda in addition to 7 supplementary titles approved which include Longman Secondary Atlas for East Africa, the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English and the popular English novel titled: “The Liver Between”.
{{The pre-season games whose role is to prepare for the regular season of football have been announced and will commence on 7th September.}}
The pre-season games will consist of the top eight teams from the last PRIMUS cup season. The exciting games in this tournament include Rayon Sports which is expected to play against Police FC while Kiyovu Sports the winner of last year’s pre-season games will play AS Kigali.
APR FC the winner of the previous PRIMUS cup will play against Marines FC that came in the eighth position while La Jeunesse will face off with Etincelles FC.
The winner of the tournament stands to win 5 million Rwf while the second place winner will get 3 million Rwf. The team that will come in third will get 1 million Rwf while each team will get 500,000 frw in preparation for each game they play.
Different teams have started preparing for the season and pre-season games with Rayon Sports which is planning a friendly game against Azam FC from Tanzania on Wednesday 17th August at Amahoro Stadium.
