Japan has announced a grant of $260,736 (about Rwf234 million) for Community Road Empowerment (CORE) aimed upgrading feeder roads.

CORE, a Japanese not-for profit organisation, trains Rwandan youth on road repair and maintenance as it seeks to boost job opportunities and achieve sustainable development.

Takayuki Miyashita, the Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, together with Kei Nakajima, the Project Manager of CORE, signed the grant yesterday.

This is the second phase of the grant. Under the first phase, officials said, the organisation trained 168 youths in Do-nou—a Japanese technology involving packing appropriate soils in bags, then placing them in a systematic way as earth reinforcement.

"In its first phase CORE Rwanda was successful in spreading its Do-nou technology in four districts namely Gakenke, Rulindo, Nyamasheke and Rusizi”, Nakajima said.

The organisation also facilitated the trainees to form six co-operatives.

Some rural areas are still challenged by poor roads, which makes it hard for farmers to access markets for their produce, and hence the project is seen as a timely response to this challenge.

The second phase of the project is expected to equip 200 youths in four districts of Rutsiro, Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru and Ruhango with skills in Do-nou technology in addition to supporting them to establish small enterprises, according to officials.

Miyashita said: "Good roads are critical for various activities including business, education, and medical services, thereby the project will highly contribute to improve the well-being of the population in various ways.”

The envoy said he’s optimistic that, through skills transfer, the youth will be empowered to create their own construction companies.

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