SteelRwa Industries Ltd, a Rwandan steel factory, has contributed Rwf4.5 million towards paying for Mutuelle de Santé premiums for vulnerable citizens in Rwamagana District.

The factory is also based in Rwamagana.

According to the district mayor, Radjab Mbonyumuvunyi, around 1,500 citizens from four sectors; Fumbwe, Kigabiro, Muhazi and Munyiginya, will benefit from the initiative.

Mbonyumuvunyi said that the four sectors were selected because they are behind others in the health insurance subscriptions.

Three of the sectors were allocated a million each, while Munyiginya received Rwf1.5 million to help vulnerable citizens get community-based health insurance.

"This support from SteelRwa, the district’s long term partner, will boost the level of participation in mutuelle de santé in the district,” he added.

Sandeep Phadnis, the General Manager of SteelRwa Industries Ltd, said that the initiative is one of the many interventions they take to improve the wellbeing of the community in Rwamagana, where the factory is based.

"We work hand in hand with local authorities, to help us know the areas in which we can contribute, and that’s where we offer our support,” he added.

"Our factory is there for people, it does not survive without them. That’s why it is our corporate social responsibility to help people, mostly those who are vulnerable financially. We are like a family, we are coming together to make each other grow.”

Apart from the support towards Mutuelle de Santé, Phadnis said that SteelRwa supplied water tanks in different schools in the whole district, so that the students can access clean water. In addition, SteelRwa helped in painting 40 classrooms from three schools in Munyiginya Sector.

The factory has also been offered land where they plan to plant trees, "as our contribution in protecting the environment.”

The communities around the SteelRwa factory benefit in different ways other than being offered Mutuelle de Santé, according to an employee at the plant.

"SteelRwa employs over 600 people, and many of them are from nearby communities. Many others benefit by way of supplying raw materials," said Innocent Kome, the store manager at SteelRwa.

Launched in 2009, SteelRwa Industries Ltd, has capacity to produce about 3,000 tonnes of iron bars per month, according to figures from the factory.