World Vision Rwanda, a global Christian humanitarian organisation, officially handed over the Rugarama Area Programme (AP) to the Gatsibo District authority in a ceremony held on August 22 in Ntende sector. The event marked the end of a 15-year journey of development and transformation in the Rugarama sector, Eastern Province.

The ceremony was attended by the Governor of the Eastern Province, Pudence Rubingisa, Richard Gasana, the Mayor of Gatsibo District, World Vision staff, and hundreds of residents. This milestone was a moment of reflection and celebration of the significant achievements that came to reality over the past decade.

A programme with a purpose

World Vision, dedicated to working with children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice, initiated the Rugarama Area Program in 2009 with funding from World Vision Canada. The programme was initially launched as an Area Development Programme (ADP) and later transitioned to an Area Programme (AP) with the primary goal of improving the well-being of children and their families by 2024.

Over 15 years, the programme focused on key areas such as resilience and livelihoods, health and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), child protection, education, and community engagement.

Remarkable achievements

The impact of the Rugarama AP has been profound, particularly in improving access to clean water, enhancing livelihoods, and empowering communities. One of the program's most notable achievements is the universal water coverage across the Rugarama sector, where 90.7 per cent of households now have access to clean and safe water. This has significantly reduced waterborne diseases and improved overall health in the community.

Water access, the program has also made significant strides in improving livelihoods. A total of 10,002 members of savings groups have gained access to financial services, enabling them to save and invest in income-generating activities.

Moreover, 2,161 households have reported improved livelihoods through increased livestock and vocational training provided under the program's resilience and livelihoods initiatives.

The programme’s efforts have gone beyond basic needs, focusing on essential infrastructure development.

A vivid example is the Rugarama Health Centre, established with support from World Vision. This centre has become a key provider of healthcare in the sector, particularly in offering maternity services.

Before 2018, the health centre had only two small rooms for pregnant mothers—one for waiting and one for labour—leading to overcrowding. As a result, the centre could only serve fewer than 60 mothers per month, according to Jean Claude Bayisabe, Assistant Head of Rugarama Health Centre.

"World Vision’s intervention transformed the centre by expanding and equipping the maternity spaces. It now includes a waiting room, a delivery room, and a postpartum room, fully accommodating over 120 mothers per month, even from nearby districts due to the centre’s location near the main road,” he said.

"The centre also features a family planning room and a consultation room for pregnant women. These improvements have significantly reduced maternal and infant mortality rates and the number of home births,” he added.

Additionally, the construction of the Gatsibo agro-processing storage facility has significantly helped farmers reduce post-harvest losses and increase food security.

According to Francois Munyandekwe, the managing director of the facility, it was built in 2018 and has a capacity of over 5,000 tonnes. The idea for the facility emerged after realising that the district’s harvest was approximately 60,000 tonnes per season, with no sufficient market. In response, farmers partnered with the district’s authorities to construct the facility.

"The facility is equipped with dryers and a maize processing machine that turns maize into flour. It supplies maize flour to more than 120 schools at a low price and also serves local citizens. The facility employs over 50 individuals daily and receives harvests from more than 10,000 maize farmers,” he said.

Another infrastructure project is the establishment of a modern market in Rugarama. This market has provided local farmers and traders with a central location to sell their produce and goods, boosting the local economy and improving access to fresh food for residents.

A community transformed

The success of the Rugarama Area Programme can be attributed to the strong partnership between World Vision, the Gatsibo District authority, and the local community.

Throughout the programme’s implementation, community members were actively involved in decision-making processes and project execution. This approach not only ensured that the projects were relevant to the community’s needs but also empowered residents to take ownership of their development.

During the handover ceremony, Rubingisa expressed his gratitude to World Vision for their unwavering commitment to the development of Rugarama, urging the residents to maintain the progress that has been made and to continue being catalysts for positive change in their community.

"We have direction and vision. You have been shown how things work. Now it is your responsibility to sustain these achievements and pass on the knowledge to future generations.”

Innocent Mutabaruka, a representative of World Vision Rwanda, also addressed the gathering, emphasising the importance of sustaining the progress made over the past 15 years.

He expressed confidence in the community’s ability to continue the work that has been started and called on the government and other stakeholders to provide ongoing support to ensure the long-term sustainability of the projects.

"We truly appreciate your trust in World Vision to support the government’s long-term vision. Let’s work together to sustain these achievements, which will lead us to prosperity and pave the way for a brighter future for all. We will be there whenever and wherever needed," he said.

Transformation

Shallon Muhoza is one of the sponsored students who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

She said, "We were over 200 students and received everything we needed. We assure you that we will maintain what has been achieved under the guidance of our government. Our leadership has shown us the right path to follow, and we will not disappoint you.”

Viviana Yansoreye, a resident of Agatare Cell in Gihuta Village, Rugarama Sector, stated that she now has self-esteem, a contrast to her situation before receiving support from World Vision. After attending a training session and receiving some start-up capital, she became self-employed, making local soft beverages known as Ubushera.

At the time, the mother of four was struggling because her husband had left. The money she earned from selling Ubushera allowed her to pay school fees for her children and invest in buying pigs.

She also purchased other domestic animals and renovated her home. Her situation has improved; her children are graduating from vocational schools, her husband has returned, and the once-struggling family is now living happily together, working to maintain a stable household.