NORTHERN PROVINCE

GICUMBI — The Rotary Club of United States of America (USA) partnering with the Rotary Club of Kigali, and the Esther’s Aid of Rwanda, have donated 26 Sun ovens to selected residents of the Northern Province.

The facilities which are used to steam cooking and bake anything quickly and safely without exposing a person to extreme heat, were handed over to representatives from the four districts of the Province, by officials of two Rotary clubs, at a function held in Kinihira, Gicumbi district last Friday.

According to the officials, the 26 were part of a total of 116 sun ovens donated by the Rotary club of USA.

Handing over the items, Cally Alles, the former President of Rotary Club of Kigali, said the facilities had been promised by Kigali Rotary Club in 2001 meant to avert forest degradation.

Alles added that the donation was meant to encourage residents to use solar energy as a sustainable solution to environmental degradation.

Clare Effions, the Representative of Esther’s Aid, said the donation was a solution to global warming.

Effions revealed that the Northern Province was the first beneficiary of the Sun ovens but the facilities will be introduced in other provinces with time.

Boniface Rucagu, the area Governor, lauded the Rotarians and the Esther’s Aid for the donation, saying it would preserve forest cover in the area.

Speaking as chief guest, Rucagu noted that forests are dwindling at a more rapid rate than ever before, because people depend on wood and charcoal to cook which has outstripped much of the forest’s ability to regenerate.

"With the introduction of the Sun oven, deforestation seems no more,” he said, urging the beneficiaries to protect the facilities jealously.

Mary Kayibanda, who represented Muhondo, Rulindo District, thanked the donors for their support, saying they would save them the burden of looking for firewood and buying charcoal.

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