The Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) has challenged faith-leaders of Faith Based Organisations to double their efforts in the country’s development.  Prof. Anastase Shyaka was speaking during a function to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of a Hope International founded Savings and Credit Associations Program at Gicumbi stadium on June 28^th, 2018.   

Savings and Credit Associations Program uses a gospel-driven approach in the promotion of community savings groups. These are largely informal savings groups.

During the function, members of the associations exhibited income generating projects that they started thanks to loans secured from the savings and credit groups.  After a tour of exhibition stands including handcrafts, paint making and agriculture products, Prof. Shyaka commended Hope International and partner churches for an initiative that is changing lives of thousands of Rwandans through savings. He also challenged them to double their efforts in poverty reduction interventions.

 “You did a great and important job but we still have a lot to do because 30 per cent of Rwandans are still trapped in poverty. You need to double your efforts in order to contribute to efforts to uplift these people out of poverty” said Prof.  Shyaka. 

The Savings and Credit Association program has 260 000 people grouped in 12 000 saving groups across the country. Prof Shyaka challenged the leaders of Faith Based Organisations to double the number of these groups to 24 000 in the next seven years so as to have more people accessing financial service.

The Savings and Credit Associations Program was launched in 2008. It is implemented by Hope International/ Rwanda chapter in collaboration with four local churches, namely; the Free Methodist Church in Rwanda (EMLR), the Anglican Church of Rwanda (EAR), the Pentecostal Church of Rwanda (ADEPR) and the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda.

In a related development, on 29^th June, 2018, Prof. Anastase Shyaka the CEO of Rwanda Governance Board, participated in a ceremony to officially close the project for “Empowering Church Leaders for Effective Peace building”.  Funded by Rwanda Governance Board and implemented by Plan Rwanda the project trained 900 church leaders across the country on how to solve conflicts and build sustainable peace in the community.