Spearheading rural development

HUYE – For many years, Speciose Mukamana, 47, dreamt of doing something that could spur development in her area, but always failed to come up with a viable idea.Mukamana, a resident of Mpare Cell of Tumba Sector, one of the rural environs of Huye District, says she had been willing to serve her community and help to transform it both spiritually and socio-economically. Mukamana, a devoted Christian, says she could not figure out what to do to serve her neighbourhood beyond the walls of her church.“Sometimes, you think serving the church is enough”, she says. “But that’s not the case, and it is not what I had envisaged anyway, I always wanted to do something that touches many people beyond the church.”When she undertook a one-and- a-half month training programme through the PEACE Plan, a faith-based project, a new window of ideas opened to her on how to support her fellow members of the community.She realised that volunteering in sensitising residents in her area to embrace various governmentprogrammes could help in speeding up development amongst her people.“Obviously, some individuals tend to ignore some programmes and policies which are designed for their own benefit. Others lack proper sensitisation, since they just hear about these programmes on radio hence fail to own them,” she said.“Educating them will improve their level of understanding on the benefits accruing from such programmes, thus uplifting their living conditions”.Her training sought to equip some individuals with skills to mobilise members of the community and bring them on board on various developmental programmes without losing their faith. The servants, better known as Amatabaza or the candles, will spearhead a sensitisation campaign on a number of issues, including the community health insurance (Mutuelle de santé), kitchen gardens, proper nutrition, hygiene and sanitation and the use of mosquito nets to prevent malaria, among others.Some religious sects have over the years been on record of shunning several government programmes saying they were contrary to their beliefs including indoor residue spraying against mosquitoes, education, Mutuelle de Santé, among others.The Amatabaza will work in close collaboration with local leaders and other volunteers who have been operating in the community.“Education is key to socio-economic transformation,” Mukamana, a farmer, noted. “I will start by implementing the programmes to serve as an example to others so that I preach what I practice,” she pledged.Patrick Kaneza, another beneficiary, observed: “We will put to use the skills we acquired by demonstrating to fellow residents the benefits of the various developmental programmes in the country.”Speaking to The New Times, Pastor Eustache Karangwa, the Deputy Chairperson of PEACE Plan-Rwanda, noted that the initiative seeks to ensure that all members of the community live decently.“Government programmes target the socio-economic transformation of all members of the Rwandan community, irrespective of their religious denomination,” Karangwa said.“We train them to be agents of change in their respective societies.”Huye district vice mayor in charge of social affairs, Christine Niwemugeni, cautioned the volunteers that their task will not be easy, and urged them to be committed if they were to succeed.She told them that upon the completion of the training, they were expected to make a difference in their respective areas.“Sometimes, you will face challenges and might start thinking of drawing back. But, do not give up easily; keep pushing,” she observed, saying that community adherence to government programmes will be a major catalyst for development.“Together, at the end, we shall win,” she added, promising to support them in their new role.Operational in Rwanda, for the past five years, PEACE Plan is a project implemented under the stewardship of renowned American evangelist Rick Warren. It has since seen over 3,000 volunteers from various parts of the country trained for the same cause.

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Spearheading rural development