Mining company contributes to 12-YBE

Burera - The New Bugarama Mining-NBM, a wolfram mining company in Burera District, has contributed over Rwf 2.2 million towards the construction of six classrooms for the 12-Year Basic Education (12-YBE) programme in the area. The money, which will pay labourers working at the site, was handed over on Thursday. According to the Site Director of the company, Janvier Ndabananiye, they also contributed building materials such as sand, timber, bricks and mobilised workers to complete the classrooms through the monthly community work - Umuganda. Ecole Primaire-Gitare 11, has over 1,000 students who are mostly the children of the close to 700 miners working in the wolfram mines in Bugarama. The company also contributed Rwf 1.5m towards the elimination of grass thatched houses, Nyakatsi. Speaking to the miners, the District Vice Mayor, Joseph Zaraduhaye, warned them against drinking all their mony. Miners in the district have a saying that “money from hell (underground) is never saved”. “We have to utilise the benefits from wolfram for development; the culture of saving should start now. This is an opportunity we should not waste, we need to see a difference because you have minerals here,” he noted. At the function, the mining company, which is owned by the Stinglhamber family, was represented by the company’s legal advocates, Eric Cyaga and Julien Kavaruganda. The family have had a 50 year wolfram mining concession in Bugarama since 1971. “The contribution is part of our community outreach. We encourage all people, including women, to participate in the mining process,’’ Kavaruganda stated. Officials from the mining company requested the district officials to help them regain eight hectares of land that was allegedly illegally acquired by some individuals.

National

Mining company contributes to 12-YBE