WESTERN PROVINCE

RUSIZI — The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) through the National Women’s Council, has donated an assortment of items worth Frw16 millions to the victims of the February earthquake that hit Rusizi and Nyamasheke districts.

The items including; sanitary pads, Sosoma maize flour, towels, knickers, clothes, toothpaste and toothbrush, bars of soap and buckets were given out mainly to women beneficiaries.

Addressing some of the beneficiaries, and women leaders at Rusizi women offices in Kamembe sector, Fabiora Ngeruka the UNFPA official in charge of gender, said their donation was out of sympathy for the quake victims.

"UNFPA felt the plight of those who were affected by the earthquake …. that is why we decided to donate these items to some of them particularly women in order to improve their living conditions,” Ngeruka said, adding that helping the needy is among the UNFPA first priorities.

Promising more support, she disclosed that UNFPA has worked with the government in providing various support items to quake victims since February.

Béatrice Mukagashumba, the vice president of the National Women’s Council, urged women who were present to always sustain hope and to avoid exposing their problems in public.

Women should work hard in order to improve their social welfare, she said. She also hailed UNFPA for their contribution and called upon them to continue their fraternity with the National Women’s Council and government.

The items are to be distributed to the women in the sectors which were severely affected by the earthquake that include; Mururu, Kamembe, Nkanka, Gihundwe and Nkombo sectors in Rusizi. Others are Shangi, Bushege, Ruharambuga and Kagano sectors in Nyamasheke district.

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