Rusizi district has handed over new homes to 70 families of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi who were renting or being accommodated by relatives.

The two-in-one houses built in collaboration with the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) were officially handed over on Thursday, June 15.

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Each house, equipped with basic domestic materials such as kitchen utensils, beds and mattresses, among others, was constructed at the tune of Rwf35 million.

Since 2018, Genocide survivor Antoinette Muhawenawe, a mother of two, and her husband were accommodated at a relative’s home. Muhawenawe is one of the happy beneficiaries of the new homes. She believes a lot about her life, and family, is going to change as a result of her newly acquired home.

"Life is going to change. I am going to have enough private space to raise my children," she said, tears of joy streaming.

Previously, Jean Baptiste Nzamwita, a father of five, was struggling to raise money for rent. According to him, the new house makes him and his family safe.

He said: "I was renting, and carrying my children from one place to another, like a bird. I could not afford rent but, luckily, my life has already changed. My children are going to be safe, no more stress.”

Ten of the new homes were given to beneficiaries in Rusambu Cell, in Nyakarenzo Sector. The Executive Secretary of Rusambu Cell, Marie Thérèse Uwizeye, welcomed the initiative, saying that it is going to address many challenges that affected family welfare. Kwizeye said that certain houses were almost collapsing while others were old and in a sorry state yet most families could not afford renovation.

Rusizi district has so far provided homes to 250 families while over 1,000 other families whose shelters were in poor conditions were relocated and given safe accommodation.

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According to the Mayor of Rusizi District, Anicet Kibiriga, all the activities are in line with addressing human security issues as per 2022-2023 final year performance contracts, or Imihigo.

Kibiriga called upon the beneficiaries to take care of their homes and to, most importantly, understand that proper hygiene is a necessity.

On the same day, 302 families from Kamembe sector were legally married and the district inaugurated classrooms for kindergarten as one of the ways to mitigate overcrowding in schools.