RWAMAGANA – Odette Kayirere, the coordinator of the association of genocide widows Avega, in the Eastern Province, emerged one of the ten winners of this year’s prize for World Women’s Creativity in Rural Life.  

The prize that was given by World Women’s Summit Foundation (WWSF) that empowers women and children was handed over to Kayirere last Sunday by the representative of Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) Desire Chato.

Chato, noted that Kayirere has helped organise groups of widows in solidarity to support each other to address the terrible suffering they have endured.

"Odette has been involved in numerous activities, including counselling, health, education, gender issues such as violence against women and access to justice,” he said.

"The award I am handing over to her today, on behalf of the Women’s Summit Foundation, is in recognition of the work of great value she has done for widows in this region.”

Kayirere, who lost her husband during the genocide, has been part of widows’ wide a range of activities to help women and children deeply traumatised by the tragic events of 1994. 

"We have established counselling centres for the widows, constructed houses for them,” Kayirere said. "We’re opening schools and health centres and other projects such as bee keeping for the widows.”   

CAFOD is a UK-based international aid agency working to alleviate poverty and suffering in developing countries.

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