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  • Skilled Diaspora to Boost Rwandan Health Sector

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    The Rwandan health sector is slated to gain from skilled Rwandan Diaspora. This follows a meeting held in Johannesburg South Africa intended to bring together all Rwandan Diaspora in the Health sector in order to look at possibility of providing their expertise to the Rwandan health sector.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in close collaboration with the High Commission of Rwanda in South Africa and the Rwandan Diaspora Global Network (RDGN), on 3rd March 2012, held a meeting with Rwandan Health Professionals on Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) at Monte casino Conference Centre in Johannesburg, RSA.

    During the meeting, different presentations were made. Amongst the key speakers were Mr. Jo Rispoli, Regional thematic specialist from IOM Pretoria, who presented on IOM-MIDA program and approach.

    In his presentation, he talked about the effect of brain-drain in Africa and the need of the Diaspora to use their expertise for the development of African countries. His presentation was illustrated by case study of the Diaspora from Ghana.

    Joan Matabaro, an official from Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presented on the objectives of Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) Health Rwanda project while Aimable Rwamucyo from RDGN presented on logistical arrangements for Health professionals intending to give out the knowledge.

    Both emphasized on the will of the Government of Rwanda to benefit from the knowledge of the Rwandan diaspora and the established mechanism to facilitate that.

    In his presentation, Dr Musabeyezu Emmanuel from Rwanda Biomedical Center listed priority needs of the health sector in Rwanda. He highlighted the lack of sufficient specialized medical doctors and the needed support from Rwandan diaspora.

    On behalf of Rwandan medical doctors in Southern Africa, Dr Denis Karangwa re-affirmed the will of Rwandan health professionals to avail their expertise to Rwanda and called upon different stakeholders to look at logistical and administrative impediment to the project in order to speed the realization of the project.

    In addition to the transfer of knowledge to Rwanda, he also called upon officials from Rwanda’s Ministry of Health to look at possibility to use modern technology such as tele-health (e-health) to give out their expertise from Southern Africa without travelling to Rwanda.

    At the end of the workshop, the High Commission of Rwanda, OIM and RDGN agreed to set up a program during the course of the year 2012 that will see Rwandan health professionals in Rwanda to give out their expertise.

  • Schools to Get More 100,000 Laptops

    The “One Laptop Per Child” OLPC project will provide extra 100,000 laptops to ensure that all 416 administrative districts of the country have computers in every school.

    The project, launched in 2008 by President Paul Kagame, has already distributed 80,000 laptops in 145 schools across the country.

    “We will receive additional 100,000 laptops in May 2012,” said Nkubito Bakuramutsa OLPC coordinator at the Ministry of Education.

    He explained that the first phase, which focused on five schools per district, will end soon.

    “We plan to complete the first phase by the end of March. For now, all districts are covered, we move towards sectors. We want to ensure that all sectors of 416 countries have a school where the OLPC is operational, “he said.

    Commenting on the installation of electricity in schools where there is no electrical current, Bakuramutsa has indicated they have an approach that varies with the location of the school.

    “For schools that are far from the gate, we work closely with the project support the deployment of electricity within the Department of Infrastructure to install solar energy.Closer to the grid, we work with district officials and local leaders of the EWSA to complete the connection of schools to the national grid, “he said.

    The OLPC project has trained 1,500 teachers and principals of schools and has a second round of training which will cover 1,200 others.

    The computers were distributed free by the government, there is also another arrangement where private schools buy these computers at a discounted price of $ 200 per computer (approx. 120,000 Rwandan francs).

    According Théogène Sibomana, headmaster of the Kigali camp, the children learned the various applications using laptops.

    “They are interested in using laptops and this led us to double the time that children spend on the machines at school,” according Théogène Sibomana.

    The OLPC program will provide access to digital course to all the teachings.

  • Bus Touts Fight Over Passengers

    At Remera-giporoso bus station (gare) two touts for the Rwamagana bound buses attracted onlookers by surprise when they engaged in a fight that was meant for their drivers. It started as a minor quarrel between the two counterparts.

    The driver of taxi RAB148L Steven Bayirinjiye said he had the right to get passengers before his counterpart of taxi number RAA 238F because he does not want to pay the money he is meant to and his always convincing and sweet talking passengers not to board Bayirinjiye’s taxi which allegedly stays longer at the bus terminal.

    Chris babu one of the eye witnesses said the fight between the two conductors started when the conductor of taxi RAA 238F told passengers to get out of the other taxi and go to his, he hit at the rival’s door hard an action that incited violence.

    Bayirinjiye’s driver slapped his rival on his left cheek and the other punched him in the stomach .They pulled and pushed until they fell onto the ground. Rwamagana bound Passengers were puzzled about which bus to board.

    The onlookers were so excited and other taxi drivers came to stare for awhile keeping the passengers waiting. While the fight was going on passengers to Rwamagana sought protection in the taxis of the two who were fighting and by the end of the fight each taxi was full.

    The two drivers were just left with time to settle their disputes but the two conductors did not want to talk about what had just happened but hurled insults against each other. Bayirinjiye’s conductor promised to hit him again and his rival was pointing at him reminding him how it is not over.

  • Handbook Shows Role of Insects in Agriculture

    Smallholder farmers in Rwandan and the rest of Africa will soon be better able to weigh up the cost and benefits of adopting new practices supporting most overlooked contributors to global food security; the insects, animals that pollinate crops and boost yields.

    “Three quarters of all food crops need insect pollinators to get good yields. 35% of all food production globally comes from crops dependent on pollinators.However, there are reports of declines in pollinators from several regions of the world,” says Barbara Gemmill-Herren of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

    Maryanne Grieg-Gran of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and Gemmill-Herren have co-authored a handbook that smallholder farmers and organizations that work with them can use to identify such pollinator-friendly practices and evaluate their impacts on livelihoods, incomes and health.

    “Sharing information with farmers about pollinator-friendly practices is a good first step. But farmers will adopt pollinator-friendly practices only if they can see that these practices will bring benefits to them – and while cash always helps, other less tangible benefits may also be important,” says Grieg-Gran.

    There are striking examples of farmers managing for pollination services – in Ghana, a mango farmer realized some of the common weeds growing under his trees attracted pollinators into the orchard.

    To conserve those pollinator species, the farmer chose to hand-weed rather than use herbicide even though weeding was four times more expensive.

    The handbook, to be officially published on 8 March by FAO, draws on work with farmers in Ghana, India, Kenya and Nepal.

    To improve pollination of their horticulture crops, farmers in the Mankessim area of Ghana chose to try out reducing pesticide use, protect riverside vegetation and sacred groves that provide habitat for pollinators and allow flowering plants to grow along field borders.

    In Uttarakhand State, in India, farmers who plant grasses to prevent soil erosion at the edges of their fields could instead use plants that also attract pollinators.

    The handbook provides a five-step approach, centred in the farmer field school tradition, for smallholders to assess current production systems, identifying and testing new practices, and evaluating their impacts. It will enable farmers to weigh up the costs and benefits of adopting different approaches to farming.

    “Wild pollinators are some of the most important contributors to global food security, but farmers often overlook them,” says Maryanne Grieg-Gran of IIED. “Farmers need to be directly involved in testing practices that encourage pollinators to visit their crops so that they can assess the benefits and costs for themselves.”

    Barbara Gemmill-Herren of FAO adds, “As agriculture intensifies with large-scale monocultures and greater use of agricultural chemicals, pollinators are increasingly threatened. There is a critical need to develop agricultural practices that sustain and increase yields, based on the ecosystem services such as pollination provided by wild species.”

    The publication has been produced under the Global Pollination Project, a Global Environment Facility-supported project, implemented by United Nations Environment Programme and executed by the Food and Agriculture Organization, with seven national partners.

    The production of the handbook was facilitated by funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

  • Rwandan Private TV to Go on Air in July

    TV10, the first privately owned television station in Rwanda will go on air in July 2012. Its broadcasts seek to display the ambition to give voice to the entire Rwandan population without distinction said the boss, Eugene Nyagahene this Sunday.

    “We will have a new way of presenting the news.” Historically, most of the news we had on national radio, was the government news. This time we’re going to give an opportunity to the civil society to talk, the business community and every citizen will have a say for the viewers,” said Nyagahene.

    Nyagahene is the promoter and director of the TV10 Group, and also owns a private station called Radio 10.

    However, Nyagahene said the chain was initially forbidden to open its branch in political debates and focuses exclusively on the political, commercial, cultural and above all entertainment.

    “It will focus on training young people especially in the fight against AIDS and education. It will be more supportive of economic players,” added Nyagahene.

    TV 10 will broadcast for 24 hours daily and in three official languages that are French, English and Kinyarwanda.

  • Electoral Body Marks 12 years

    The National Electoral Commission of Rwanda (NEC) has organised an Open Day for the public from March 13-15 aimed at celebrating 12 years of achievements.

    The Executive Secretary, Charles Munyaneza said that the day will be held on March 13 where the public will be able to visit NEC headquarters in Kiagli. Those expected are members of the general public, diplomats, Government officials, civil society and the media among others.

    “The public will visit some departments and also erect stands from where NEC staff will orient visitors about NEC activities,” Munyaneza says adding that the Open Day will bring together stakeholders that have been working with the Commission during the past elections.

    During this event, NEC will register those who have never registered to vote especially as we prepare for next year’s parliamentary elections. “We shall also showcase a documentary about NEC achievements in the past 12 years” he notes.

    On March, 15 NEC will conduct field activities with volunteers and donate cows to poor households in different districts to support the One Cow per Family Programme (Girinka). They also participate in community work by cleaning genocide sites.

    The activities, Munyaneza, says are one way of the Commission getting closer to the people, more so to appreciate their cooperation exhibited during the last elections.

  • Woman Attempts Abandoning Baby in Bush

    This morning a woman was intercepted by the Local Defense personnel that had spotted her while trying to hide a one month old baby girl in the nearby bush. The baby was reportedly found quickly after crying loud.

    This prompted local defense personnel in the area to immediately arrest the mother before she could escape.

    The local defense responsible for guarding the area reported the discovery of the child to the residents after they had forced the woman to take her child back and escorted her to the local authorities for fear that she might try to dump the baby again once out of their sight.

    Ndagirimana Gaspard and Jean de Dieu Umucyo the Local Defence personnel at the scene told IGIHE.com that the woman had been seen lurking around the area suspiciously so they kept quiet as to find out what she was up to.

    Ndagirimana said they at first couldn’t see the baby for she was carrying the child in a traditional wrapper “Kanga” she looked like she was carrying a basket of fruits, “it was not until she started hurrying down the road and the baby started crying at the spot she had deserted so quickly that we realized what she was attempting to do”.

    The mother of the baby refused to give her name for fear of being found out by her husband. She told the Local Defence personnel that her husband had left for work late in the night and had not returned. She said that they were unable to feed the baby saying it would be better off with other people.

    She said she was trying to save her baby from starvation for they have nothing to live on, when asked why she hadn’t asked for help from the authorities, she said she was afraid of that they would tell her to take her baby back, so she decided to leave her somewhere where she believed she would be rescued.

    Having previously seen orphans at the center who came to dance and play she presumed someone would save her child.

    The woman was handed over to the local authorities.

  • Single Customs Territory Plan Reviewed

    Representatives of the East African Community member states are in a two-day meeting in Arusha, Tanzania to review the plan for a single customs union in the region.

    In September 2011 a study was conducted with a primary purpose of developing options and modalities for the attainment of a Single Customs Territory.

    The study would also recommend an appropriate SCT model suitable for the EAC and determine the most suitable institutional and legal framework for the execution of the Single Customs Territory.

    Over the two-day period stakeholders, drawn from Partner States’ Ministries including Trade, EAC Affairs and Finance; and Government agencies responsible for Customs/Revenue Authorities, as well as representatives from the private sector will consider recommendations and provide inputs to enrich the final report for the proposed Single Customs Territory.

    The EAC Director General for Customs and Trade, Peter Kiguta said, transformation of the EAC into a Single Customs Territory is what is required to spur liberalized trade as goods would circulate freely through the Territory.

    “We still have internal controls. Goods are not circulating freely,” Kiguta remarked, adding: “As a Customs Union we are supposed to be one Customs territory.”

    Meanwhile, the East African Community Secretary General, ambassador Richard Sezibera announced that the bloc will have to wait much longer before it establishes a single currency.

    The announcement was made during the conference themed “EAC after 10 Years”.

    “The only significant achievement that the EAC will record this year would be the signing of the Monetary Union Protocol. This would set the tone for channels through which a single currency could be formulated.”

  • Kigali to Host Grand Finale Show For Inspire Africa

    The grand finale of Inspire Africa reality TV show will be held at Kigali Serena Hotel on 1st April this year where more than 60 million people in the region are expected to view the show.

    So far the show is in its 9th week and has 24 contestants from all East Africa member states. Participants are competing for the best business idea. In Rwanda the show airs on Rwanda Television every Sunday and Monday at 10pm.

    It was initiated by Nelson Tugume a Uganda and also the founder of Inspire Africa, his aim is to promote entrepreneurship among the jobless.

    While addressing members of the press in Kigali recently Tugume who rose from a humble beginning explained that Rwandan youth have the potential to do better in business due to government’s support and stable policies of enhancing self employment.

    Tugume announced that a state of the art academy to teach on entrepreneurship will be constructed in Rwanda and will educate people who have potential business ideas in the region.

    However, in the meantime, a hundred renowned CEO’s in the world will be present during the final show after which they are expected to mentor the best emerging contestants.

    Viewers will vote for their best contender through SMS and the winner will take home with US$50,000 which they will use to start up a business of their choice.

    Considering his rise from a humble beginning, Tugume believes everyone can make it with a focused mind of doing business. He now runs a chain of transport companies in Uganda and has shares in best performing companies in the region.

    Before being successful he once rented his grandmothers fridge then started a small kiosk, later became a bus tout after which he saved his income to start small income generating activities.

  • Rwandan Gay Couple Plans to Wed

    Patrick Ngyirinshuti 26 and Didier Ndasenga have been in love for five years and are planning to wed very soon as a way of celebrating their commitment and looking forward to living a better life as a couple.

    They told IGIHE that they are normal and happily in love as any other ordinary couple. They love each other and want to get married.

    They currently cohabit at Kacyiru. Ngyirinshuti works at a restaurant at Kacyiru during the morning’s till 5pm after which he retires home to wait for his lover Ndasenga.

    Subject to provision of the Rwandan constitution of 2003, Article 26 states, “Only civil monogamous marriage between a man and a woman is recognised. No person may be married without his or her free consent. Parties to a marriage have equal rights and duties upon and during the subsistence of a marriage and at the time of divorce. The law determines conditions, forms and effect of marriage”.

    IGIHE inquired from the couple to recount on their encounter that led to building an intimate relationship in a society with a conservative outlook.

    Ngyirinshuti tried to have intimate relationships with ladies whom he had been flirting with. However, he says that while he attempted sexual intercourse with them, he failed to get aroused the same way he does when he is with men. He realized that he was a homosexual.

    Though Ngyirinshuti knew he was a homosexual, he was frightened at how people would treat him. He was afraid of stigmatization and physical abuse, which he experienced due to harsh conditions that forced him into prostitution.

    “I was 20 when I realized that I was attracted to fellow men. I was forced to live by myself. My family is too conservative. They would not accommodate my lifestyle at home,” he said.

    With nothing to support himself he joined prostitution at night clubs such as KBC, Cadillac and many local pubs at Nyamirambo where he claims are many gay people both male and female.

    He notes that while in prostitution on the streets he experienced; violence, sympathy from others, but mostly mockery. Ndasenga and Ngyirinshuti met at the pub where Ndasenga works while he was looking for clients. Ndasenga is a bartender at a local pub at Nymirambo.

    His dream though is to become a famous fashion designer.

    Ndasenga had been attracted to Ngyirinshuti whom he knew would always pass by during evening hours. “I had seen him many times. I was very attracted to him and loved his bold fashion sense but was too shy to approach him. He didn’t seem interested in a relationship, only money, but I wanted to be with him, I wanted him to leave prostitution.”

    After a few encounters with each other, Ndasenga took charge and asked Ngyirinshuti out for a date, “After that I stopped selling myself because Ndasenga proposed to me. I had found someone that loves me for who I am. So I was in love”.

    The two moved into the same house. Ndasenga helped his partner get a job at the shop he is currently working at. “He is like the husband and I am the wife, but it doesn’t bother me I actually prefer it like this”.

    Ndasenga plays the role of the man; he buys Ngyirinshuti clothes, takes him for pedicures, romantic dinners, and pays for his meals. He refers to his lover as “umugore wange” (My Wife). He proposed on one knee in front of all their friends last year on Valentine’s Day at their favorite spot called “Spectra” located in Nyamirambo.

    “Ndasenga likes to be in charge of everything, even when it comes to sex” says Ngyirinshuti openly, he adds that they made a promise to each other to stay safe, they always use condoms when having sex, “ I always tell Ngyirinshuti that because of his past encounters we should always be careful.”

    They go to clinics every two months for check ups’, “we are very sexually active” admits Ndasenga “I can’t help it because I find Ngyirinshuti very sexually attractive, especially when he wears tight jeans”.

    “We have many friends who don’t treat us any different than anyone else, lesbians and gay friends as well and not only in Rwanda, but also in Uganda and Burundi, even those who are straight and they have all agreed to chip in so that me and Ngyirinshuti can have a nice but simple wedding in South Africa,”stated Ndasenga.

    Ngyirinshuti and Ndasenga have been together for four years and say they are saving money for the trip to South Africa to get married, right now they have saved up to 1000dollars.“It would have been great if we could get married in Rwanda but we are also realistic” he laughs.

    Ngyirinshuti added, “In the beginning, of course, it was very challenging. We experienced what all couples go through, jealously; fear of abandonment. But after Ndasenga proposed I knew he was the one for me for the rest of my life.”

    “We kiss in public and don’t care what people would say. “People surrounded us and wanted to bring in the media but I wasn’t threatened”, “Now look am talking to the media anyway so what was I supposed to be afraid of, am gay so what,” Ngyirinshuti said.

    They plan to travel to South Africa where they will be just them and two of the witnesses; they will both wear white suits and red ties and get married in a small chapel where they will later stay for their honeymoon. When they return from their honeymoon, Ndasenga will start his lifelong dream of being a fashion designer in Rwanda.