A two-day exhibition by International non-government organisations operating in Rwanda opens tomorrow at Petit Stade, Remera in Kigali.

It seeks to showcase the INGOs contribution toward national development and to share best practices, according to organisers.

Organised under the banner of the Network of International NGOs in Rwanda, over 60 organisations will participate in the event.

"What we want is to showcase to our stakeholders and the public our contribution toward the wellbeing of the Rwandan people in line with Vision 2020 (development agenda),” said Myal Greene, country director, World Relief, who is the current chairperson of NINGO.

World Relief’s interventions are specifically in disaster responses, agriculture, education, refugee resettlement and health, he said yesterday.

Greene told The New Times that the INGOs operate across the country, with interventions in education, health, nutrition, agriculture, infrastructure and other areas with view to assisting the most vulnerable.

The expo is the first of its kind in Rwanda.

Milton Funes, country director, Global Communities Rwanda, said almost a million Rwandans have benefited from their programmes in education, agriculture and health.

"We are involved in fighting illiteracy; we teach people how to read and write and engage in other programmes like reintegrating orphans into families,” he said.

Through Ishema Mu Muryango (‘Pride for the Family) programme, the organisation aims to safely and sustainably reintegrate children living in orphanages into families. Global Community operates in 23 districts.

Through the Enabling Market Integration through Rural Group Empowerment (EMIRGE) programme, Global Communities works with fledgling cooperatives, comprising largely of poor farmers in remote rural areas, among other activities.

Theodore Mutabazi, the head of civil society organisations and political parties at the Rwanda Governance Board, said there is need to strengthen the capacity of NGOs in the country so the latter can play a more significant role in national development.

"Government cannot do everything. NGOs have contributed a lot toward the development of the country but there is need to strengthen those that are still weak.”

He said that RGB, the public agency that regulates NGOS, was working with ONE-UN to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations in the country.