At least 60 households in the Kaniga climate-resilient model village are now breathing a sigh of relief, as the infrastructure has been built to adapt to the effects of climate change. The green model village was inaugurated on Monday, November 20, 2023, in Kaniga sector of Gicumbi District.
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The relocated residents were in high-risk zones given that, in the Northern Province, Gicumbi District ranks the highest in exposure to climate hazards, and second-highest in sensitivity to climate-related impact, as they also testify.
"My house was destroyed by flooding and landslides seven times but we survived. Whenever the incident would happen, I was always trying to rehabilitate. However the frequent disasters would destroy it again,” said Benoit Mbonigaba, a resident with a family of four.
Mbonigaba remembers a night when his body was halfway submerged in water before being rescued.
"The house was submerged up to the windows and that is when the whole house collapsed and we went to seek shelter,” he narrated.
Currently, the family is among the 60 households relocated from high-risk zones to Kaniga model village.
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The 60 families are an addition to the 40 families previously resettled in Rubaya sector.
Olive Kabongoya, a mother-of-five who was homeless, said: "We breathed a sigh of relief after being relocated to this model village. We were always living in fear as we were in high risk zones. My children now feel safe. We are currently striving to work hard in saving groups so that we boost our development,” she said.
Green features of the climate resilient model village
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The village was constructed by the Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA through a $32 million Green Gicumbi project with the support of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) — the world’s largest climate fund which accelerates transformative climate action in developing countries.
The roads and pathways inside the climate-resilient settlement are equipped with solar-powered lights while the houses use renewable energy from the national grid. The model village was planted with different tree species.
Waste is collected and disposed of while soft waste such as toilet waste is used as organic manure on arable land and kitchen gardens in the village.
Harvested rainwater serves for domestic use and irrigation. The bricks that were used to construct the model village were produced using alternative energy without cutting forests.
The green village has six cemented underground rainwater harvesting tanks with 600 cubic metres for the green village.
Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, the Minister of Environment, who officiated the inauguration of the Kaniga Climate Resilient Settlement, said building resilience is at the heart of the government agenda.
The model village was inaugurated ahead of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) from November 30 to December 12.
Adaptation finance, to build climate resilience such as the Kaniga Climate Resilient Settlement, is one of the priorities that Rwanda, Africa, and civil society organisations want at COP28.
"Our country is among countries that are most vulnerable to climate change. Agriculture, settlement, and infrastructure are most affected in addition to loss of lives. It is in this context we have to save people from high-risk zones by building climate-resilient settlements such as the Kaniga model village we have inaugurated,” she said, adding that the government also secured funds to execute the same project in Western Province.
Parfaite Uwera, the acting mayor of Gicumbi District said a committee comprising residents themselves will be established to monitor the sustaining of the village infrastructure.
What the project has done in nine sectors
Uwera said the project benefitted nine sectors of the district.
"The project has to benefit 380,000 people in the nine sectors,” she said.
Terraces were established on 1,450 hectares and agro-forestry trees on 9, 479 hectares. Ornamental trees were also planted on 54 hectares along the roads and water channels. Tea and coffee on the hillside were planted on 50 and 40 hectares respectively.
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At least 15 cooperatives, with 1,168 members, were created and given grants to carry out different development projects. Forest restoration was implemented on 1,107 hectares.
"Residents became entrepreneurs in preparing seedlings. Three million seedlings have been distributed,” Uwera said.
Six beekeeping cooperatives were created while 25,400 residents were given improved cook stoves.
"Families got cows and small livestock and they will pass on heifers to other needy residents. 23,000 residents also got jobs from the project implementation,” she said.