On Thursday, August 19, Rwanda joined the rest of the world to mark World Humanitarian Day, a day dedicated to honoring the sacrifices of all those who choose to serve humanity against all odds.

According to the United Nations, this year's theme is devoted to dealing with the climate crisis, the single biggest health threat facing humanity as the world witnesses record-breaking heat waves, catastrophic storms and changing weather patterns. 

With #TheHumanRace, the United Nations aims to highlight the global challenges of climate action to stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable population of the world.

Jean Claude Dusabimana, the Executive Director of Nature Rwanda, a non-government organisation dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems and deals with issues that threaten the coexistence of humans and nature in Rwanda said that on this day, every one should be thinking about human rights; mainly how vulnerable people can benefit from their activities.

"The climate change mostly affects vulnerable people because they are poor. As civil society organisations, we should help them in capacity building so that they can hope to live,” he said.

"Climate change is bringing disasters, floods and drought and the vulnerable people are the ones who face the effects because they cannot afford to migrate from a place where they take place. We have to help them fight these effects and all that comes with it. It’s a good time to promote well-being at community level, hence helping our government.”

He declared that these days they are working on The Conservation Farming project which aims at improving smallholder farmers’ agricultural output and earnings while enhancing climate adaptation farming methods around the Akanyaru wetland in the Musenyi Sector, Bugesera District.

He shared that its objective is to build the capacity among small holder farmers and promote local commitment and participation to adapt to climate change.

Pascaline Umulisa, the Executive Secretary of Rwanda Girl Guide Association said that on this day they urge people to do a charity activity as they do.

"Each of our members (a guide) is obliged to do at least one charity activity a day. So, we put this in action but also help other people that need our help. As our slogan says, we have to leave the world a better place than how we have found it,” she said.

She shared that their association usually helps girls know about different kinds of violence and their rights, approach vulnerable families and also help in dealing with climate change by organising activities where they plant trees as it complies with one of their rules (the 6th) that concerns environmental conservation.

"Doing a charity doesn’t always require money. Like these days, there are people who are committing suicide and they need people to talk to. Even talking to a vulnerable person is a good thing,” she said.

Placide Niyitegeka, the Communications Officer at Red Cross - Rwanda said that for him, World Humanitarian day is a big day because the world recognises volunteers who lost their lives in humanitarian activities.   

He shared that in Rwanda, Red Cross is involved in raising community awareness about Covid-19 prevention where their volunteers use mobile radios, cars, motorbikes or even bicycles in different places to do so, hence helping the government.

"When Red Cross realised that Covid-19 cases were increasing, we decided to help in delivering the sick to different health centres. There are some red cross ambulances that take the victims from home to health centres or from health centers to hospitals,” he said.

He urged the community to respect human rights and volunteers since what they do is saving people’s lives and called for more volunteers to join Red Cross, adding that everyone has something to offer in order to support vulnerable people.

Eric Bayisenge Twahirwa, the Secretary General of Youth Volunteers said that this day reminds them that they are striving to make the world a better place.

"As youth volunteers, this is the good time to keep helping the community so that nobody is left behind in the quest for development,” he said.

Youth volunteers help in different activities like building houses for the vulnerable, fighting nutritional-based diseases, building green gardens, community awareness about covid-19 and fighting climate change where they are involved in planting trees activities.

Bayisenge urged youth to join them so that they can keep helping the society, develop their skills as well help Rwanda to thrive.

In the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, The World Humanitarian Day has also highlighted the sacrifices of all the health workers who continue to provide protection and life-saving support to people in need.

People can use #TheHumanRace and #WorldHumanitarianDay hashtags on social media to join the cause and get their followers talking and spread the word.