The Ministry for Emergency Management has confirmed it will recognise Jean-Claude Bunani who during the weekend rescued a 6-year-old child who was stuck in the middle of a then flooded River Yanze, a tributary of River Nyabarongo.

Bunani’s act of selflessness was captured in a short video that went viral immediately after, ironically took place on the day Rwanda was celebrating her 26th National Heroes Day on February 1.

Thereafter, many Rwandans took to different social media platform to commend 27-year-old for this act.

VIDEO/ RwandaTube In the video, the young boy is seen stuck in the middle of a flooded stream, trying to balance himself on what looks like a rock. Many people are also seen looking on.

Then, Bunani gets a ladder which he scales to get into the river and straddles the boy on his back then climbs up the bridge to the applause of the onlookers.

An official from the Ministry told The New Times on Wednesday, February 5, that they are preparing a reward that will be handed to him soon but did not specify in what form the reward will be.

"We really appreciate what the man did, and we think he is worth a token of appreciation.  We are planning to meet him this Thursday to congratulate him with a good appreciation,” the source said.

Who is Bunani?

Bunani is a 27-year-old man who was born in Huye District, Southern Province.

In an interview, he said he relocated to Kigali barely two months ago in search of a job and he currently lives in Kimisagara Sector, Nyarugenge District.

He is a father of a six months old baby, with a wife who lives in Rwamagana district together with the baby.

According to Bunani, he moved to Kigali after the collapse of his saloon business in Rwamagana town.

Currently, he ekes a living as a casual labourer in Nyabugogo business centre and at times works as a part-time barber though he says that finding this opportunity is rare.

What motivated him?

Speaking to The New Times, Bunani noted that he did not think twice about going down into the river to rescue the petrified young boy.

"I was from doing my work as a casual labourer and surprisingly found many people near the river shouting and staring at the kid who was stuck in the middle of the river,” he said.

"No one seemed ready to go down there to rescue him yet at any time he would be swept away by the floods, I took the initiative. However, I was afraid that I would also end up losing my life but again decided to go in for the kid.”

Bunani continued to say that: "after rescuing the kid, people congratulated me and actually two people gave me Rwf6,000, half of which I used to pay for the ladder I used.”

He added that he was excited when he reconnected with the boy on Tuesday "because the day I got him from the river he was immediately taken away before I could talk to him.”

The New Times also spoke to Jackson Gatego, the 6-year-old who said he had gone into the river to collect scrap metal when the rain came trapping him in the river.

"I was happy that he saved my life; I thought I was going to die,” he said.

Bunani emphasized that: "It should be every Rwandan’s responsibility to love others and take any possible risk to save a life.”

His act follows the one of Emmanuel Niringiyimana, the 23-year-old man who single-handedly built a 2km-road to facilitate the movement of people and goods in his village located in Karongi District.

Among many recognition he got include being selected among the 25 namers during the gorilla naming ceremony, alongside different global icons.