The Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), Prof Anastase Shyaka, on 6^th December 2017 urged the beneficiaries of RGB and One UN Rwanda funded projects in Bugesera District to effectively use the support they get and strive for self-dependency.

Prof Anastase made these remarks while on field visit targeting two local Non-Governmental Organisations namely; Urumuri rw’Urukundo and Solidarité pour le Développement Communautaire (SODECO) operating in Bugesera District in Ngeruka and Musenyi Sectors respectively.

The field visit was aimed at understanding the implementation process of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) programme grantees, challenges, opportunities and success stories from the direct beneficiaries.

Urumuri rw’Urukundo is implementing a biogas project in Ngeruka sector where 30 biogas digesters have been constructed so far. The project’s beneficiaries testified that it helped them a lot in addressing the issue of firewood shortage and health related problems.

“Gone are the days we used to struggling to get firewood because biogas has made it simpler. It’s now easier for us to cook, even in the absence of our wives. Again, in our families healthy is really good for we are safe from contracting pulmonary-related diseases caused by indoor cooking smoke,” said Sebukware, one of the biogas project beneficiaries.

As for SODECO, the NGO is implementing a project of providing clean water through rain water harvesting in Musenyi Sector. The project has already provided water tanks to 15 households in a settlement inhabited by orphans and widows who are the survivors of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. The project’s target is to have 31 households equipped with water tanks by March 2018.

Mariyana Nzasangamariya, a beneficiary of the project, said since its beginning, their lives have totally changed. “In our village, people used to walk long distances to fetch filthy water. For an elderly widow like me, it was a serious problem because we couldn’t carry jerry cans and fetch water. For now though, things have really changed; we now drink clean water, wash our laundry and our kitchen gardens are now green because of the water we harvest,” she said.

Speaking at the event, Prof. Shyaka, the Chief Executive Officer of RGB, thanked One UN Rwanda and other public institutions for partnering in the programme which is transforming the lives of many Rwandans. He also requested the projects’ beneficiaries to move towards self-reliance through effective use of the support.

“It’s  true that the support you received through the programme is so important in your lives, but what we need from you is to use it to become self-dependent. Seeing you strive for self-reliance will really make us proud,” noted Prof. Shyaka

Fodé Ndiaye, the One UN Resident Coordinator, also present at the event, appreciated the impact that the grants from his organisation to various CSOs is bringing in the lives of benefiting citizens.

“It is really difficult to sit in the office approving grants for CSOs but coming on the ground, meeting households and discussing with beneficiaries, seeing that what we have done has impacted the socio-economic lives has nothing to do with grant signing,” said Ndiaye.

Mr. Ndiaye said that the One UN Rwanda is committed to keep supporting Rwandans through various projects in the line with the National Strategy for transformation.

The two visited NGOs this year received grants through the Strengthening Civil Society for Responsible and Accountable Governance in Rwanda, a programme jointly ran by RGB and One UN Rwanda. Under this programme which is in its 4^th year of implementation, around 2.6 million USD have been awarded to 87 CSOs so far.

This year, 40 CSOs received their grants worth maximum 25 million Rwandan francs each.