Foreign tour operators and members of international travel media on Saturday joined residents of Kimihurura, Gasabo district, for Umuganda, a monthly community cleaning exercise. 

The tour operators and members of the press are in Rwanda to take part in conservation activities ahead of Kwita Izina, the annual gorilla naming ceremony. 

They were also joined by members of parliament, representatives of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Visit Rwanda team and other Government officials. 

They jointly participated in the construction of a one-kilometer road. 

Stephen Rwamurangwa, the Mayor of Gasabo District told the visitors that Umuganda is one of the homegrown solutions. 

"This country is a country of a thousand hills, but it is also a country of a thousand solutions, thanks to our homegrown approach," he said. 

According to local officials, the activities conducted on Saturday were worth Rwf7 million. 

Pudence Rubingisa, the new Mayor of the City of Kigali, congratulated the residents and their commitment to driving community development.

"I want to thank you for your efforts to own this monthly activity. Your commitment will continue to drive our development," he noted. 

On the other hand, the Director-General of Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), Sabin Nsanzimana, used the opportunity to sensitize people on family planning. 

"Family planning is taking shape. A Rwandan family on average produced six children, today the number has come down to only four," he said. 

"We encourage you (citizens) to continue practicing family planning because that's the foundation of a good family," he added. 

In the past few months, citizens in this area have been conducting several activities through Umuganda.

This includes electrification of streets, establishing drainage systems, clearing bushes and revamping the roads, all of which they say is estimated to be worth Rwf700 million.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com