KIGALI - Rwanda Women’s Network marked ten years of its community engagement, leadership and action on Friday, November 23 in a well-attended function at Hotel Novotel Umubano.

The ceremony was opened on 22nd November 2007 by the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Valerie Nyirahabineza.

"The government is working very hard to see that women are equally responsible for problems and solutions of this country,” Minister Nyirahabineza said in her speech.
She thanked the leadership of Rwanda Women’s Network for its programs that enable poor women to create their own jobs; skills that she said will enhance poverty reduction programmes in the country.

On the second day of celebrations, the Minister of Commerce, Industry, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Cooperatives, Vincent Karega presided over the ceremony of recognising and awarding the best performers in the organization. Karega applauded the founder and director of Rwanda Women’s Network, Mary Barikungeri (above) for finding a solution to the lack of income generating activities among Rwanda’s poor women. He promised to work hand in hand with the organization.

Rwanda Women’s Network is a national humanitarian non-governmental organisation operating in nine districts in the country. It is dedicated to promotion and improvement of the socio-economic welfare of women in Rwanda.

The network started in 1997, taking over from its parent organisation, the US-based Church World Service (CWS), which had initiated a two-year poverty reduction programme from 1994 to 1996.
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