EASTERN PROVINCE

GATSIBO — An international Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Plan International, has committed $400, 000 towards the reconstruction of Kabarore Health Centre, Gatsibo. The reconstruction is meant to improve health services in the district.

The NGO’s top executive, John Miller, said on Wednesday that it was out of the pleasure derived from working in Rwanda since operations began one year ago.

"In just a short time, we are very pleased and excited about working in Rwanda and equally optimistic about our future here," Miller said, after laying a foundation stone at the building.

"Though Kabarore had a health centre, this expansion is welcome because the centre lacked many services yet it had a big number of patients. This will translate into better medical service delivery in the sector," Mayor John Vianney Murego said.

The storied building will house a pharmacy, laboratories, a modern theatre and an administration block. CLECO Investments has been contracted to carry out the reconstruction within a period of six months.

According to Clement Gatete, an official of the CLECO, the work would be finished within the stipulated time because they "have enough workers who will be working in shifts day and night.’

"We have installed lights for the night workers and this will help us accomplish our work in record time," Gatete said.

He however said he was pessimistic about the fluctuation of prices of building materials, adding that costs shot up from the time they bid for the tender and the time it was awarded.

"Prices of materials like cement have more than doubled and our quotations were much lower than the current prices. But I think we shall work it out with Plan International," Gatete said.

Plan started its operations in Rwanda in January 2007. According to the director of Plan Rwanda, Mamadou Kante, Rwanda has made significant progress in stabilizing its economy since the end of war and the genocide in 1994.

"Together with the authorities of the district of Gatsibo in the eastern province, Plan is implementing several small-scale projects in schools geared towards improving health, provision of furniture and other supplies. Our aim is to diversify and increase our programmes over the coming months," Mamadou said.

The organisation operating in 48 developing countries across the world, works with children, families, the government, interest groups, civil society organizations and other development partners.

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