One Dollar Campaign hits Rwf 145m mark

KIGALI - With close to two weeks to the end of the campaign, the Genocide survivor’s fund dubbed one dollar campaign has so far collected over Rwf145 million – Gustave Karara, an official in charge of the Rwandan Diaspora Global Network (RDGN) has revealed. The campaign was launched sometime in April, this year as an initiative to mobilize funds from within and outside the country to help provide accommodation to children orphaned by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. According to Karara, Rwandans in the Diaspora have continued to contribute generously to the cause with those in the United States of America (USA) leading the other nations with donations worth over Rwf16million. “As we get closer to the end of the 100-day campaign, our dream of raising Rwf1.5 billion for the construction of these homes is quickly becoming a reality. We are glad that this initiative has been taken up by Rwandans within and outside the country.” “Besides the cash at hand, we have other big pledges that have been made in form of services and property. If valued, the amount is much higher. Rwandans in Sweden have for example offered to send all the household facilities that will be required once the houses are complete,” Karara told The New Times. He also noted that the Ministry of defence will provide the necessary transportation and highly skilled engineers who will be required during the course of the construction. According to statistics from the Diaspora, the top five contributing states include USA, United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway and Sudan. Karara also underscored that the campaign has sort of prompted a contribution competition as each nation struggles to rank among the top five contributors. A smiling Karara also assured that construction work will begin as soon as the campaign ends. Figures from RDGN also show that about 4,300 Rwandan children who were orphaned by the Genocide remain homeless. The project will set up decent homes for about 500 to 600 students. In a related development, the Ministry of Health has also joined this campaign and the RDGN representative also notes that by the end of this week, the ministry’s contributions as well as those from all the cells in the country will be received as well. Earlier this week, United Nations (UN) officials also joined this drive by generously contributing the symbolic one dollar. As a UN team we need to pave way for new and better lives and we need to do it passionately, UN Resident Coordinator, Aurelien Agbenonci said. The fundraising project was first mooted during the Diaspora conference that was held in December last year. Ends

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One Dollar Campaign hits Rwf 145m mark