ORTPN aids victims of destructive heavy rain

EASTERN PROVINCE KIREHE — The Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) last Friday donated 4000 iron sheets worth Frw32 m to residents of Kirehe district whose houses were destroyed by heavy rains last week. The materials were handed over by the ORTPN director, Chantal Rugambwa at a function held at the district headquarters. The donation came six days after heavy rains coupled with storm destroyed about 195 houses including nine schools-leaving over 850 people homeless. According to the district authorities the destruction is estimated at Frw900 million of which Frw31.5 covers the destroyed houses. Other things destroyed included 615 hectares of crops that includes banana and cassava plantations estimated at over Frw61m. Other 119 houses were destroyed in the nearby district of Ngoma the same day and left hundreds of hectares of crops including Coffee trees, cassava and banana plantations destroyed. “We are concerned about the situation of the residents of Kirehe who were displaced by heavy rains,” Rugambwa said in her speech. “This has led us urgently to intervene since Kirehe is one of the districts that work closely with ORTPN to conserve Akagera National Park and its wildlife,” she added. Kirehe district shares part of Akagera Park in Nasho sector. Rugambwa called on everyone to get involved in conserving the environment by planting trees-which she said would be one way of protecting houses from being taken by wind. “Our culture tells us to help each other in good and bad situations and that’s why we are here,” Rugambwa said, calling on the residents to always help each other in times of trouble. She thanked the media for playing its part in reporting the incident soon after it took place last Sunday-which attracted many organisations to intervene. Some of the organisations which have so far helped the victims include the Red Cross which donated over 150 plastic sheeting. Urging residents to always build strong houses that can resist wind, Protais Murayire, the district Mayor, explained that most of the destroyed houses were temporary and old. Present at the function was also the Eastern province director of gender and social affairs, Aline Mukanabana-who cautioned the beneficiaries against misusing the iron sheets. Ends