The Japanese Ambassador to Rwanda, Masahiro Imai, on February 18, visited Mutobo Demobilization and Reintegration Centre in Musanze District—his first excursion outside Kigali since he assumed his duty to represent Japan in Rwanda two months ago.

During his visit, he observed different projects of Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) that are being implemented through support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This centre equips ex-combatant with skills in masonry, tailoring and farming.

"Obviously, your efforts brought great success and I was impressed by this uniqueness to reintegrate ex-combatants and people with disabilities into the society. After your training, you will be an important work force, which can be a driving force for development of your own country. Skilled workers are always in high demand. I believe that vocational trainings are indispensable to support self-sustaining economic activities.” Imai said.

Imai asserted that Japan hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo this year. In this context, he explained that Japan has been striving to create a social model in which a variety of people including those with disabilities can expand their scope of activities in a barrier free society in the wider sense, by not only removing physical but also institutional, social and psychological barriers. He hopes that there will be more beneficiaries to be reintegrated through RDRC’s engagement to realize the symbiosis.

RDRC has been supporting ex-combatants to reintegrate into society since 1997. Japan provided support to RDRC twice from 2005 to 2008 and from 2011 to 2014 through JICA’s technical cooperation programmes in the amount of around 3.3 million USD and dispatched Japanese experts to Rwanda to contribute to social participation of the ex-combatants and other people with disabilities.

In November 2019, JICA President Award was commend to RDRC because of its continued activities with outstanding achievements of the socio-economic development, especially contributing to peacekeeping and reconciliation in Rwanda as well as the Great Lake region. Mr. Shin MARUO, chief representative of JICA Rwanda Office, said that RDRC’s engagement could be beneficial and valuable to be shared in other African countries as well.

Mutobo Demobilisation and Reintegration Centre is home for more than 300 ex-combatants, including ex-child soldiers. The children go to school while others are undergoing vocational training.

Fred NYAMURANGWA, Commissioner of RDRC, said Japan has supported the centre for ex-combatants in different vocational trainings such as sewing, agriculture, construction and he is confident every trained ex-combatant can make good use of acquired skills to enhance their living standards for their families and their neighboring communities.

Leoncie NYIRAHABIMANA, had spent 24 years in the Congolese forests and has now been trained at the centre. She said her new life started here and she maintains a good relationship with her neighbors in the community. She hopes that with the vocational trainings received such as tailoring, her future with her family is promising.

Over 11, 000 ex-combatants have been integrated into society after undergoing trainings at Mutobo Demobilisation and Reintegration Centre heretofore. As Japan contributed to these sustainable activities, it would be profitable that the centre continues to produce skilled workers and integrate them into society.