As part of its corporate social responsibility, BDO EA Rwanda, an audit, tax and advisory consultancy company, has paid health insurance premiums for 500 residents of Rulindo District.

The donation, worth Rwf1,500,000, was made on Saturday, October 29, after BDO staff joined hundreds of residents of Murambi Sector in the monthly community work, better known as Umuganda. The activities focused on renovating soil erosion control mechanisms along the hills of Bubangu cell of Murambi Sector.

The 500 individuals that got the insurance support were some of the 1,200 Bubangu cell residents who had yet to pay the Mutuelle de Sante premium, because they could not afford it.

"I am thankful to the youth who have paid Mutuelle de Sante for us. I could not afford it. Now, I will be able to get treatment if I fall sick," Angelina Yankurije, one of the beneficiaries, said.

The BDO donation was part of its quarterly outreach programme in which the company's personnel respond to a particular issue in a community.

According to BDO management, they decided to donate health insurance premiums to the residents of Rulindo in order to contribute to the country's vision of a healthy society.

"As BDO Rwanda, we feel that we should not stop by auditing, tax and advisory. We also look at the wellbeing of communities, and of Rwandans, some of whom will be employees of our company in the future," said Beatrice Mujawayezu, the director of business service and outsourcing department at BDO.

She added that they would continue to follow up on the status of health insurance in Murambi Sector.

"We found that this community had one of the lowest subscription rates of Mutuelle de Sante and we chose to support them because we believe that if people join hands they can reach farther," Omar Djuma, BDO's business development supervisor, said.

Thanks to the donation, about 92 per cent of Bubangu residents are now insured for the year 2022/23.

"We thank the BDO staff who have supported our residents to afford health insurance. This is a commendable activity, which has encouraged us to mobilise more funds to pay for the health insurance of the remaining 8 per cent," Jean-Marie Vianney Ntagungira, the acting executive secretary of Murambi Sector, said.

He also appreciated the BDO staff participation in the monthly community work to strengthen the hilly region's erosion control measures.