WESTERN PROVINCE

NYAMASHEKE — The South African Embassy has donated 100 goats worth Frw2.2 m to genocide survivors and children whose parents are imprisoned over genocide crimes. 

The donation was delivered through the Methodist Church in collaboration with the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) last week in Ntendezi Cell, Ruharambuga Sector, in Nyamasheke district.

The beneficiaries were drawn from selected sectors of Nyamasheke and Rusizi districts. Handing over the goats, the South African Ambassador to Rwanda, Ezra M. Sigwela said that the donation was geared towards promoting unity and reconciliation among genocide survivors and convicts. He observed that because of the Apartheid policy in South Africa, Rwanda shares a similar history with them.

Sigwela appealed to the beneficiaries to always love one another and to desist from racial, ethnic, and genocide ideology.

"I encourage you who are here at this occasion to always aim at having a nation free of genocide ideology in future and free from ethnic divisionism because that’s when your country will attain development in all aspects of life,” he said. He further advised residents to always work hard towards development.

As a gesture of reconciliation, the beneficiaries would return to their homes where genocide survivors and genocide ex-convicts would give out the donated goats to each other, according to officials of the Methodist Church.

Fatuma Ndangiza, the Executive Secretary of NURC, lauded the South African Embassy for the donation, saying it would not only foster unity and reconciliation but also improve their living standards.

In a separate interview with The New Times shortly after the function, Ambassador Sigwela said that his country was committed to continue providing more support to residents of Nyamasheke and Rusizi districts in various developmental programmes.

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