World Vision has touched the lives of at least four million Rwandans over the past two decades, the country director, George Gitau has said.

He made the remarks on Friday during celebrations to mark 20 years of the international charity’s operation, in the country. The event took place at Sano Park in Rusororo Sector, Gasabo District and was presided over by the permanent secretary Ministry of Local Government, Vincent Munyeshyaka.

"Today, we do not celebrate the health centers we have built, classrooms we have constructed or water sources we connected in various parts of the country; but we celebrate the lives of people which have been saved when they get services in these health centers and the education that our children have got from these classrooms among others things,” said Gitau.

World Vision started operations immediately after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi—with a core mission of providing relief to displaced families and survivors of the Genocide.

"These people I am talking about have benefited through our interventions in the health sector, education, peace building, agriculture mainly through supporting farmers among others,” he said. They are in the districts of Nyaruguru, Nyamagabe, Nyanza, Gisagara, Huye, Gicumbi, Gasabo and Gakenke. Others are Bugesera, Gatsibo, Karongi, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge.   

Southern Province Governor Alphonse Munyantwali thanked the organisation for contributing to the country’s development.  

Munyeshyaka said that World Vision’s contribution complements government efforts to achieve development goals under Vision 2020.