EASTERN PROVINCE

KAYONZA — A Christian Non Governmental Organization (NGO) Inter-church Youth Foundation, last week donated items worth Frw5 million to vulnerable youths in Kayonza district.

According to the Director of the organisation, George Ngarambe, the donation was geared towards: "Consoling youths by catering for their physical needs."

In addition to spiritual needs, Ngarambe said, such vulnerable groups have physical needs like any other human being.

"It will motivate them to work for development. So, we sensitise the youths to have faith but also to use their physical capacity to do work for development."

He said the donation follows an earlier arrangement by the organisation, in which they urged the vulnerable youths from six sectors of Kabarondo, Rulamira, Rwinkwavu, Murama, Kabale, and Ndego to design income generating projects worth funding.

Murama and Rwinkwavu sectors designed saloon projects, Ruramira and Kabarondo designed tailoring projects while Kabale and Ndego designed goat rearing projects.

"We have donated all requirements including materials, house rent, initial capital, tools to use and teachers to train them," Ngarambe told The New Times in an interview, at Kabarondo sector, shortly after donating items worth Frw850,000 to a group of beneficiaries.

"In each of the six administrative sectors we organised orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC’s) into cooperatives, each with 71 members. We trained them on project design and management, and urged them to form projects worth funding."

He said those who designed saloon projects were given start-up capital and all requirements to operate saloons. "We have paid for their house rent and the teacher’s salary to train them," he said.

"For those who designed tailoring projects, we gave each group six sawing machines, chairs and tables, paid rent, teacher’s salary and night watch man’s salary," Ngarambe said.

Other materials, he added: For those who designed goat rearing projects, we gave each group 15 goats and an exotic he goat in addition to paying night watch man’s wages and money for building a modern kraal."

Julius Mugabo, executive secretary of Kabarondo, who also presided over the function hailed the donation and asked the youths to use it properly in order to improve their livelihoods.

Beneficiaries expressed gratitude and promised to exploit the opportunity to prosper.

According to Ngarambe, Interchurch Youth Foundation started in 2001, with the initiative of Rwanda Christian youths with 25 founder members. Apparently it so far works with 280 faith churches across the country.

Among others the NGO trains youths in faith as well as physical transformation. The project also trains youths to form projects aimed at fighting HIV/Aids.

Ngarambe said that the faith and physical transformation project being implemented in the six sectors of Kayonza district is a two-year project financed by Global Fund; at a tune of about Frw80 million. He said the project is in its first phase of its implementation.

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