A team of 19 Belgian volunteers, on Tuesday, joined residents of Rusiga Sector, Rulindo District, in community work- where they planted about 500 trees and launched the construction of houses for poor residents of the sector.

Ten houses were built at the launch, part of a total of 60 houses which are meant to be built in Rusiga Sector.

According to statement from the Belgian technical cooperation, (BTC), the houses are being built within the framework of providing decent housing to genocide widows and other vulnerable people, who were still living in grass thatched houses.

"The trees were planted in part to control soil erosion,” the statement said.

The volunteers work in the country for a maximum of two years in various projects and programmes within the framework of the bilateral cooperation between Rwanda and Belgium.

They include paramedics, agronomists, social workers, engineers and scientists contributing to the implementation of projects in priority areas of development.

A volunteer, Morgane Ortmans, a journalist specialised in international relations, said he was very happy to be associated with the noble activity of constructing houses for vulnerable people.

"For me, working together with this community is one way of learning about the rich Rwandan culture,”he said
Ruben Baert, a bio-engineer, attached to the Support project to horticulture value chain of Rwanda said;

"Working overseas is very enriching and challenging at the same time. I learned a lot about Rwanda and I’m happy to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of my project.”

The Executive Secretary of the Northern Province, Mr Deo Kabagambe, the BTC Resident Representative, Jean-Yves Saliez, and the Rulindo Mayor Justus Kangwegye also participated in the community work

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