Rwamagana/Kayonza —  Send a Cow, a UK based charity organization has donated 53 Friesian cows to residents of Rwamagana and KayonzaDistricts.

The donation is in line with the country’s One-Cow-One-Family policy that was initiated by President Paul Kagame.

The cows were given to 7 members of Mothers Union in Rwamagana Anglican Church Parish and 46 women in Nyamirama and Ruramira Sectors, Kayonza District. 

"We were told to pick pieces of paper in a box as a way of choosing which cow one would take. I couldn’t believe it until they showed me mine,” Maria Uwimana said after receiving her Friesian. 

Another beneficiary, Ruth Nyiraneza, 40, said that she was extremely excited to have received a Friesian.

"I am so happy for the donation. It shows how the government always considers us…the cow will, above all, give me manure which I greatly need,” she said.  

The country representative of Send a Cow International, Laurent Munyankusi, said that his organization aims at making a significant change in the lives of farmers and developing rural communities.

"It is a shared vision and responsibility in a sense that if we start working together we will soon start enjoying the benefits from these cows,” Munyankusi said.

 He urged the beneficiaries to take good care of the cows.

 "We wish to see a developed community. What we have done is a small contribution to government’s efforts of achieving the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty,” Munyankusi said. 

The ceremony was presided over by Joseph Gasana, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal husbandry.

Gasana told beneficiaries that they should look after the cows jealously.

The Kayonza District vice Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, Anita Mutesi, noted that the cows will be of benefit to the comunity.

"The whole community will benefit from the cows either directly or indirectly. No child can suffer from malnutrition when there is abundance of milk in the community,” she said.

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