KIGALI - The head of Rotary International - Central Africa, Governor Fred ne Tiabu Tatukila, arrived in the country for a five-day visit.

Tiabu is here to visit projects carried out by various Rotary Clubs in the country, including, Virunga, Mt Jari and Butare.

He was greatly impressed by the recently completed Kigali Public Library whose construction was championed by the Kigali-Virunga Rotary Club.

"Rotary Clubs in Rwanda are growing. Look at this building, how fantastic it is, surely I am challenged by their contribution to society,” he said, Wednesday, at the library in Kacyiru.

The US$ 3 million multiple storied building was largely financed by the Government of Rwanda, and partly by the Kigali-Virunga Rotary Club. 

The library, which is already stocked with 25,000 books, will open in December, according to Nils Zirimwabagabo, the chairman of Kigali-Virunga.

"We intend to help all the Rwandans access standard books for reading to boost their literacy. We have many books ready to be shelved for use and other containers (of books) will jet in very soon.”

He also noted that they are preparing a series of events like reading competitions, to boost the reading culture in the country.

"One of the challenges of this project is that most of our people have no interest in reading at the moment. We are marketing this skill through training, reading competitions to arouse public interest”.

Since 1999, Rwanda Rotary Club has also participated in various other activities like tree planting, clearing hospital bills for the needy and paying tuition for some students through its affiliate body, Rotaract.

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