Up to 79,000 households in Kigali, who currently have no source of income due to the latest Covid-19 lockdown celebrated Heroes Day with food relief, on February 1. The beneficiaries are in addition to over 69,000 households who also got food relief in the first days of lockdown imposed on January 18. The new lists are of residents whose savings were exhausted in the two-week lockdown, and were in need of emergency support. The distribution exercise is being carried out by youth volunteers and local leaders and the supplies are being delivered to people’s doorsteps, to avoid congregations. Government has distributed Food to the citizens who are most affected by Lockdown at Gisozi sector in the city of Kigali on February 1. Residents in the Gisozi Sector of Gasabo district told The New Times that they breathed a sigh of relief as they had no source of income. “I survive hand-to-mouth; I only earn a daily wage and the lockdown meant that I didn’t have an income. I usually do laundry for people but when lockdown was imposed my work paralysed. I was struggling to take care of my six children,” said Liliane Umuhoza, a resident of Umurava village in Gisozi. Oscar Hishamunda, another resident said that besides losing a source of income, his family house was also damaged by heavy rains leaving them even more vulnerable. Food was distributed door-to-door by youth volunteers across the City of Kigali. Dan Nsengiyumva “I earn my livelihood through farming for others. At times I work as a porter at construction sites to feed my four children but I am no longer working. The food support was timely,” he said. It is so difficult to raise four young children without a source of income. It hurts when a child asks for food yet there isn’t. The food relief means a lot to our family, added Sylvie Ntakirutimana. Providence Musasangohe, the Executive Secretary of Gisozi sector said that about 3,000 households were provided with food relief in her sector. “The 3,854 families are a second group during the latest lockdown. The first group was composed of 4,757 families who had got food to help them during the 14 days of lockdown,” she said. A family of between one and two persons gets seven kilogrammes of maize flour, three kilogrammes of beans while a family of three and five persons is given 12 kilogrammes of maize flour and seven kilogrammes of beans. A family of over six persons was given 25 kilogrammes of maize flour and 12 kilogrammes of beans. Solidarity, heroic values Despite the government support however, the official urged Rwandans to embrace solidarity and heroic values to ensure that people facing difficulties within their communities are supported. “We are working with village leaders to ensure people affected by lockdown are supported. There are people in communities who are financially capable. The Heroes’ Day we are celebrating today should inspire them to reach out to the most vulnerable in our communities,” Musasangohe added. She however said that the government will continue to help the affected citizens, adding that there is food in strategic reserves where the donated food is being drawn. Pudence Rubingisa, the mayor of Kigali City said that the vulnerable residents found to be Covid-19 positive and are under home based care are among those to be supported to get food.
