WESTERN PROVINCE

NYABIHU — The vice president of Rwanda Red Cross, Peter Claver Kabanda, has called on Rwandans to embrace the culture of voluntary work.

Addressing residents who turned up to mark International volunteers’ day, this Thursday, Kabanda noted that there were few volunteers in the country compared to the population.

He also noted that many people in essence were working as volunteers, because they were doing work whose financial value was difficult to determine.

"Actually almost everyone is a volunteer in his/her own capacity or position; how much would you pay a soldier spending sleepless nights, what about a policeman, what about a nurse and other people doing work that is not worth their salary?” he asked.

"They are simply volunteers indirectly,” Kabanda explained.
Kabanda said that if every Rwandan would work with passion in their various positions then they would automatically become good volunteers; like those they registered.

"It is not only those registered by Red Cross who are volunteers, any person that sacrifices his time and resources to the needy, vulnerable and society at large is certainly a volunteer,” said Kabanda.

He revealed that they have registered over 20,000 volunteers across the country; he named the Ombudsman, Tito Rutaremara, as one of the long serving volunteers in the country.

During the same function, Rwanda Red Cross staff planted several trees in Nyabihu to replace those uprooted by the recent storm in the area

They have planted over 50,000 trees across the country over time, according to Kabanda. They plan to plant more 20,000 trees next year in Nyabihu, he said.

Meanwhile, the group led by Kabanda, also laid a foundation stone of the houses yet to be built by Rwanda Red Cross volunteers, for flood victims in the district.

Apparently ten houses have been completed estimated at Frw50 million for them [floods victims]. The Red Cross has reportedly built similar houses in the district of Bugesera in eastern Rwanda.

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