PRIMUS GumaGuma Super Star, Season 4 contestants joined residents of Urutarishonga Village, Bumbogo sector in Gasabo district for the monthly community work otherwise known as Umuganda on Saturday.

The entourage in company of Bralirwa officials was given a warm welcome by residents and the social affairs representative of the sector, Marie Chantal Uwimana who briefed them on the activities they would engage in.

The jolly stars joined the elated residents to clear bushes and slash along village roads. The activities also involved unclogging trenches and planting trees around homesteads.

The contestants planted two trees in each household including a Cyprus tree and mango or avocado tree; both to provide a shade and bear fruits for owners, but also most importantly to promote the global green campaign amongst the residents.

The village itself is home to many genocide survivors some of whom are battling old age. Many like Cotilda Kankindi, a 65- year-old resident were delighted to have other people join them in Umuganda.

Once again, Platini of the Dream Boys spoke on behalf of his fellow contestants after the work. He expressed his gratitude to the residents for taking Umuganda, a national initiative seriously. 

"Umuganda has enhanced unity and a general sense of responsibility among Rwandans across the country. Rwanda is now globally recognised for this activity,”  Platini told Bumbogo residents.

He later introduced his fellow contestants; who one by one after a brief speech were tasked by residents to sing. As each contestant sang, the delighted crowd joined in and sang along especially the teenagers who proved to know each song. 

To this end, the contestants also expressed their gratitude to the crowd that had proved to them that their efforts to promote, build and grow Rwandan music, wasn’t in vain. 

On behalf of the contestants; Eric Senderi also known as ‘Harvard’ or ‘International Hit’ pledged to build and promote Rwanda through their music.

While speaking at the meeting, Theodore Uwiduhaye; the president of Ibuka Association in Bumbogo sector expressed his appreciation for Bralirwa and the contestants for joining them in Umuganda. He also introduced some of the notable elderly and vulnerable people in the village who the Bralirwa team gave some household items to help them in their day to day lives.

Among the items was rice, sugar, cooking oil and Kitenge- a traditional wear; which were handed over by the contestants to the eighteen beneficiaries; especially those above 55 years of age.

Vincent Rwabukambiza, 76, one of the beneficiaries said he was "humbled and felt grateful to Bralirwa” for sharing with him in his time of need.

A dummy cheque worth Rwf 500,000 from Bralirwa was also handed over to the Executive Secretary of the sector.

Speaking on behalf of Bralirwa, Freddy Nyangezi said that the essence of the donations was to inculcate virtues of giving and sharing among the contestants on their way to stardom and also was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes.

This weekend marked the end of the corporate social responsibility events carried out by Bralirwa in a bid to commiserate with Rwanda as a whole in the month of April when the country commemorated the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. 

Next month, the Primus GumaGuma road shows will resume on May 3, 2014 in Huye, Southern Province.