NCBA Bank Rwanda staff on Friday, May 19, visited Ntarama Genocide Memorial in Bugesera District where they paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, and donated five cows to Genocide survivors to support their livelihoods.

This event was in line with the 29th commemoration of the1994 Genocide.

According to the Genocide Archives of Rwanda, the [Catholic] Church of Ntarama was converted into a genocide memorial - on April 14, 1995 - dedicated to the 5,000 people who lost their lives there. One of Rwanda’s six National Genocide Memorial Sites, Ntarama contains human remains, clothing, and artifacts belonging to people who were killed at the church.

Antoine Kagabo, a staffer of the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) in charge of Ntarama genocide memorial's management, said that about 6,000 victims of the Genocide are buried in the memorial. They include the Tutsi who had fled to Ntarama Catholic Church for refugee, and those who were killed in other parts of Bugesera, including Ntarama and Nyamata Sectors.

He told NCBA staff that the Tutsi were taken from various parts of the country by the former genocidal regime's leaders, and forced to settle in Bugesera, which was then an area not suitable for human settlement. Malaria, and tsetse flies which transmit sleeping sickness in humans, were prevalent there. This, he said, was a plot to expose the Tutsi to a hostile environment, indicating that some died because of poor living conditions and diseases.

Christian Dingida, Head of Operations at NCBA, said "what is here is really horrible,” referring to the history of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, after visiting the Ntarama Memorial.

The commemoration event, he said, was "an opportunity for us as the Bank to see physically what happened in our country, and to take into account the amount of efforts" deployed by the Government of Rwanda in tackling the genocide, as well as national rebuilding.

Also, the commemoration event underscored the idea that Genocide remembrance is a responsibility that has to be fulfilled, Dingida added.

"At the same time, we have a young generation in our organisation. We wanted them to get testimonies and see what happened so that they can join the efforts of the Government to fight against genocide, and to prepare themselves to look forward and support the country to build again," he observed.

Talking about the donated cows, he said "this is in line with comforting them (survivors) and wishing them strength," adding that the cows have an insurance cover for one year that caters for necessities such as medicines to help the survivors take care of the cows during the initial period.

Theogene Rudasingwa, and Clarisse Uwineza, are among the Genocide survivors in Ntarama Sector who were offered cows. Their parents owned cows before the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, but that they were killed and their cows taken by Genocide perpetrators.

"This action shows the love that people have nowadays, which was not the case in the past. Our people were killed and cows misappropriated, but Rwandans who care want to restore our dignity and enable us to do cattle farming again. We appreciate this action which will lift us out of poverty and help us to achieve development," he said.

Uwineza said the cow she was given will help her to get milk for her three children's improved nutrition.

"This cow has great importance to me, including taking care of my children," she said.