Last week, the United States Agency for International Development announced a $37-million (about Rwf26.6 billion) five-year grant to uplifting 50,000 poor families out of poverty that are to be channeled through a project called, ‘Twiyubake’. The project will benefit at least 250,000 individuals in several ways.

The project is to be implemented by Global Communities with a purpose of strengthening the protection for vulnerable groups through health, social and educational services connections that can enable them to improve their livelihood.

Some of the beneficiaries are people living with HIV, orphans and vulnerable children, and poor families, especially women or widow-headed households.

Speaking at the launch of the new project, the US Ambassador to Rwanda, Erica Barks-Ruggles, said the project seeks to build community resilience with a particular aim of protecting vulnerable communities from poverty, diseases and disasters.

Also Minister for Gender of Family Promotion, Oda Gasizigwa, acknowledged the choice of intervention made by Global Communities, saying it addresses the government’s most binding constraints to the growth and prosperity of the vulnerable families, especially from the bottom.

The Chief of Party of Global Communities, Milton Funes, revealed a partnership with three international organizations that are to provide technical leadership in different programme components.

Meanwhile, authorities in Kayonza warned residents in the district against drinking during early morning hours instead of concentrating on productive work.

John Mugabo, the Mayor of Kayonza District, called on men to join their wives to plant enough food for their families instead of going to bars early in the day.

Mugabo, who advocated for a door-to-door sensitisation campaign on farming, said several women were responding positively by going to gardens, but men were still reluctant.

He also warned about alcoholism and laziness, arguing that they were the main reasons some sectors were lagging behind in food production.

The Police have always linked alcohol abuse to gender-based violence (GBV) among other anti-social behaviour. None the less, the police intensified operations against use and sell of narcotic drugs that resulted into seizure of 1100 litres of illicit brew and 40 rolls of cannabis last week in various parts of the country. Up to900 other liters of illicit brew were seized in Rutsiro District.

The Western Province Police Spokesperson, Superintendent Emmanuel Hitayezu, said the operation is an example of a solid relationship between Police and the public. Narcotics and illicit brew are considered toxic and dangerous to those who consume them — and are against article 24 of the law governing narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors in Rwanda.

Sadly, news coming from West Africa reveals that two more cases of Ebola were confirmed in Liberia. The country had been declared Ebola-free more than seven weeks ago but the new cases in Nedowein have caused some panic.