Five year Canadian project ends

Projet d’Appui à la Gouvernance locale du Rwanda (PAGOR) which has been funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), supporting the government’s decentralization policy by strengthening local governance in Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts, Southern Province, has ended.Speaking during a workshop to highlight its achievements and share experiences, the Governor of Southern Province, Alphonse Munyantwali, hailed the Canadian Government, saying the project had played a significant role in building the capacity of the population.“This project has been unique in a sense that it has dealt with all actors, meaning that the population and local leaders are well-informed about the decentralization process or what is expected from each party,” Munyantwali said.He pointed out that activities implemented in the two districts have been in line with District Development Plans (DDPs) that have seen the development of various social-economic infrastructures.“This has contributed to the population`s access to quality services and improved their wellbeing in areas of housing, clean drinking water, agriculture, health and education,” he said.Joseph Narabamenye, the coordinator of UNICOOPAGI, a union comprising of 24 agriculture cooperatives, said the project has contributed heavily to the advancement of cooperatives.“When members are aware of the legal requirements, they cooperate given the fact that they are well versed, and this also brings about trust in their leaders,” he said.The Project Coordinator, Lucie Laperriere, said that although many activities were carried out, capacity building had been the focus.“We wanted to make sure that even when this particular project comes to an end, the population can still have the skills or knowledge and it will continue to strengthen good local governance,” Laperriere said. In Nyamagabe District, the project has funded many development initiatives including construction and equipping health centres in Mugano and Kibirizi Sectors.It also constructed a modern market in Musebeya Sector and 1,000 houses for vulnerable families as well as promoting basket weaving (Agaseke) for women associations.