Miss France 2000 and founder of Maisha Africa Association, Sonia Rolland Uwitonze, Friday donated medical equipment worth Rfw69 million to Ruhengeri Referral Hospital in Musanze District meant to save lives of premature babies.

They included radiant warmers, emergency trolley, monitoring machines, resuscitation kits, ultrasound machine, phototherapy machine and blood gases analysis machine among other equipment for neonatal intensive care unit.

Dr Philbert Muhire, the head of the hospital, said the donation was part of friendship that the hospital has built with the beauty queen over the last 25 years.

"During the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis, the then staff of the hospital helped Sonia Rolland’s uncle and since then both parties entered into friendship with Sonia particularly aiming to give back to the hospital,” he told Sunday Times

Muhire went on to say that the donation was crucial as it strengthens government efforts towards reducing maternal deaths.

"Availability of medical equipment is instrumental for the government to achieve zero maternal deaths. Therefore, neonatology equipment that Sonia Rolland donated is essential and we consider it a catalyst towards achieving zero maternal deaths at our hospital”.

Rolland who was flanked by some officials from Maisha Africa Association and local officials was taken on a tour at the neonatology section of Ruhengeri Hospital and witnessed how her donation was saving lives of a number of prematurely born-babies.

"Thanks to the team of Ruhengeri Referral Hospital for having me and congratulations for the achievement,” Sonia said in a tweet

The former Miss France promised to extend her donation to the hospital’s maternity section in the near future.

The Northern Province governor Jean-Marie Vianney Gatabazi commended Sonia Rolland for her generous heart to give back to her country.

Since 2001, the actress and fashion model has participated in various activities aimed at helping children in Rwanda, especially Genocide survivors.

The inspiration, she said, came during her visit to Rwanda in 2000 as Miss France – when she was touched by orphans who headed families.

When she returned to France, she started Maisha Africa Association, which has since organised events and conducted fundraising toward various activities.

Sonia Rolland was born in Rwanda in 1981 to a French father and a Rwandan mother.

They fled the country in 1990 due to safety concerns, especially since her mother was Tutsi.