The Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga (RCKV) had a memorable evening on Friday, June 21, as members celebrated their 25th President Installation Night in Kigali.The evening saw Jacqueline Dunia take the helm as the club's new president for the year 2024-2025, succeeding Livingstone Nkuusi. The event drew an impressive turnout of Rotarians, Rotaractors, government officials, friends, family, and prospective members. During the ceremony, several new members were inducted, reflecting the club's continual expansion and its appeal to those eager to contribute to societal betterment, the club's growing influence and commitment to community service. Rotary Club Kigali Virunga was chartered in 2000 with the dedication, enthusiasm and commitment of many Rotarians including the past President Cally Alles, the father of the club. ALSO READ: Canadian charity, Rotary Club Kigali Virunga donate 5,000 bed kits to vulnerable children Over the years, the club has been at the forefront of numerous impactful initiatives. Among their most notable achievements is two flagship projects; Kigali Public Library, a joint effort with Government of Rwanda, and Kinyinya Rotary House, an initiative that aids cancer patients with accommodation, meals, counselling, and transportation to and from Kanombe, with support from Nuns, Rotary Clubs of Kigali Virunga members in Rwanda and other well wishers. Outgoing president Nkuusi, in his farewell remarks, expressed pride in the club's accomplishments during his tenure and optimism for the future under Dunia's leadership. He said, It was a quite successful year for our club. We established a new club, the Rotary Club of Kigali Golf, and our membership increased from 62 to 103. We also supported the Cosmopolitan Club by sharing some of our members. Indeed, our club grew. However, one of the most celebrated milestones is building a house for a vulnerable woman living in Huye District who saved a child during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The club refers to her as a 'Heroic Mother.' She did not have a decent home. We bought land, built her a new house, and now she is living in that modern home. The official inauguration of that house is on June 29, when she will be given her house officially, he said. I wish the new president the best and hope she continues to benefit from what has been achieved. People should know more about Rotary. Many are still unaware of it. We need to support our government in accomplishing some activities and assist fellow Rwandans at large, he added. ALSO READ: Youth Minister urges young Rotarians to lead community service Dunia, in her inaugural address as president, introduced her new board and articulated a vision for the upcoming year. She noted: We have a special program, and we've named it the 'magic of Rotary'. In particular, I want to work hand in hand with the 'Shenge' initiative, a local NGO that supports children with disabilities from over 33 families. It was founded by Alice Higiro, who recognized that these children's parents face stigma and are often excluded from society, preventing them from being as productive as they should be. However, we have several other initiatives, such as connecting experts from abroad, mainly in Singapore, with people suffering from various diseases. These experts provide services like cervical cancer screening and eye examinations, and they will share knowledge about eye diseases and other health issues. “Nevertheless, I would like to focus on Shenge and maintaining the daily activities of Kinyinya Rotary House. Our government reminds us to seek self-reliance, and that's what we're striving for.”
