The First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, has said that compassion like one demonstrated by Rotary International, is what will help make the world a better place.

Mrs Kagame made the remarks Tuesday evening while speaking at the Rotary International Gala Dinner, which was also attended by the president of Rotary International, K.R. Ravindran, a Sri Lankan native.

The event is part of the 4th Rotary Medicare Mission taking place in Kigali, through which more than 300 patients are scheduled to receive free orthopaedic and ENT (ear, nose and throat) corrective surgeries. 

The operations, are held at the University Central Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) and Rwanda Military Hospital.

"Looking back to its beginnings, it is safe to say that over its many very active years, the Rotary International has demonstrated that its motto of ‘Service Above Self’ could bear ripe fruits by pooling resources to sustain health, education, economic, and infrastructure projects, and deliver on its promises to focusing energies on the common good.” said Mrs Kagame, who is also a Rotarian.

The fourth Rotary's Medicare Mission, organised with the partnership of the Ministry of Health, began on February 26, and will last until March 5th.

A team of doctors specialised in plastic and orthopedic surgery will offer free treatment to hundreds of patients suffering from physical deformations resulting from accidents, birth defects and the Genocide against the Tutsi.

"It is inspirational, to hear about the several hundreds of Rwandan patients who are benefiting from free and highly specialised services, that they would not have been able to access through other means.

"It is my sincere belief that ultimately, compassion is what will leave this world in a better place than it was the day before, so let us continue to work together and inspire many more to join this noble cause of alleviating challenges seen in our communities,” the First Lady added.

Over the past three years, the medical teams from Rotary International have been able to provide treatment and corrective surgeries to over 600 vulnerable Rwandans.

According to Rotary, Rwanda has received many rounds of Medicare Missions than anywhere in the world, since they have gone to other countries just once.

The second important factor, they said, is that the president of Rotary International K. Ravi Ravindran was also personally part of the programme, having arrived in the country Tuesday.

This is the first time in the Rotary’s 111-year-old history that a president of Rotary International will visit Rwanda.

Ravindran lauded Rwanda’s resilience in overcoming her disturbing history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi to become what it is to date.

"There is one word that describes Rwanda, resilience. It has excelled through the toughest experiences. It is the same resilience Rotary should seize, in tackling world’s challenges,” he said.

Ravindran who also lauded the First Lady’s humanitarian initiatives through her non-profit organisation, Imbuto Foundation, said that if all the countries had such kind of leaders, the world would be a better place.

Imbuto Foundation has been instrumental in helping uplift vulnerable populations, including the girl child, youth, women, Genocide widows, well-performing students, by promoting economic empowerment, health, and education programmes.  

Imbuto Foundation, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, has been instrumental in helping uplift vulnerable populations, including the girl child, youth, women, Genocide widows, well-performing students, by promoting economic empowerment, health, and education programmes.  

Rotary International is a global network of community volunteers and one of the largest and most influential humanitarian service organisations worldwide.

Founded in Chicago on 23 February 1905, today over 1.2 million members subscribe to 34,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

Rotary members, as volunteers, conduct projects to address today’s most pressing humanitarian challenges, including illiteracy, disease, hunger, poverty, lack of clean water, and environmental concerns while encouraging high standards in all vocations.

Rajendra K Saboo, a former president of Rotary International who sent the first Medicare mission to Rwanda, said that 30 children have received free heart surgery in India.

He also announced an offer of heart surgery to 20 children, with all medical expenses covered, excluding living expenses during treatment period in India; and a 3-month training in anesthesiology and urology for 10 Rwanda doctors.  

"Rwanda has demonstrated unprecedented will of development and we want these doctors, after their trainings, to come back and serve Rwanda, and we will take care of them when they are studying,” he said.

The First Lady also expressed gratitude towards the Rotarians club for playing a big role in the establishment of Rwanda’s first public library in Kacyiru.

The evening was also highlighted by the awarding of 25 new Paul Harris Fellows (PHF), a recognition given to Rotarians who made a gift of US$1000 to the Rotary International. 

This gala dinner brought together the Minister of Health Agnes Binagwaho; Minister of Education Papias Musafiri; the Director of CHUK, Dr Theobald Hategekimana; the Head of Orthopaedics at Rwanda Military Hospital, Dr Alex Butera; the 9150 District Governor Martin Balikwisha; Rotarians from District 9150, which includes Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, Rwanda, and Sao Tomé and Principe; Rotarians from India; Canada; USA; Nigeria, among which was Sir Offor Emeka, one of the biggest donors to Rotary International.