RWAMAGANA - the Community Development Fund (CDF) has helped in poverty alleviation and the general development of infrastructure in the Eastern Province, local leaders said on Tuesday.

The leaders, who were meeting in Rwamagana district, said they acknowledged CDF’s role in reducing poverty, increasing access to basic education, healthcare and water.

"CDF helps "Vision 2020 Umurenge Program” (VUPs) and gives people soft loans. This is important for rural development. …There is need to work together as a single entity for the common good of the people,” Yusuf Mugiraneza, the provincial Executive Secretary said.

Leticia Nkunda, CDF Director-General, said there was need to work closely with all stakeholders so as to speed up various development projects in the country.

She disclosed that the meeting agreed to complete all future projects in time, following an ongoing elaboration of a workable plan.

"I am convinced that projects will work well as planned…we are in the first semester, where there is a lot of paper work. I am happy to note that we shall work within the annual budgetary period,” she said.

Julius Rukundo, Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Affairs in Bugesera District, said every sector has accesses to good roads, electricity and solar energy, courtesy of CDF.

CDF supports VUP in efforts to realize Rwanda’s Vision 2020, by integrating local development efforts to accelerate poverty eradication, rural growth, and social protection.

The meeting was attended by CDF officials, districts’ mayors, executive secretaries and officials in charge of the poverty eradication programme (Ubudehe) in the province.

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