The RWANDA civil society Platform has received a financial boost of over $8m (about 5.4bn) from One UN in Rwanda, to strengthen its capacity in responsive and accountable governance in the country.

The grant was announced in Kigali yesterday at a meeting that brought together officials from the One UN in Rwanda, Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), and members of the civil society.

The funds are meant to finance development projects.

Lamin Manneh, the United Nations coordinator in Rwanda, said the programme aims at building capacities of the civil society organisations.

"Civil society has an advantage of being closer to people, a potentially independent voice with strong legitimacy and your voices represent the citizens in any important policy and public process,” he said.

Manneh noted that civil society groups have helped  promote unity and reconciliation in the last 20 years.

"Working with civil society is no longer an option,’ he added.

Prof. Anastase Shyaka, the CEO RGB, urged civil society to focus on developmental projects.

"The funding will give opportunities to the best projects which used to lack funding,” he said.

Edouard Munyemaliza, the coordinator of Rwanda Civil Society Platform, said the funds will go directly to citizen-oriented projects to support the government in implementing development activities.

"We will focus on delivering services in the health sector and land issues, we will ensure that everything we do is in the interest of Rwandans,” he said.

Competitive grants are in two categories, though the funding will depend on the project value and viability.

The big projects will be granted between $80, 000 and 100,000, while the smaller ones will get between $15,000 and 50,000.

Floride Mukabaranga, a member of Amizero association, said they hope to finance rural women development projects once they secure funding.