Rwandans living in the Diaspora are expected to launch an initiative to mobilise members behind entrepreneurial and charitable activities back home. 

The initiative, dubbed "Diaspora No Rwandan Left Behind,” will be launched this month as part of a series of events scheduled for the 2015 Diaspora Homecoming Day due December 16 in Nyarutarama, Kigali.

Speaking to The New Times, on Tuesday, Alice K. Cyusa, the chairperson of Rwanda Diaspora Global Network (RDGN), the umbrella organisation of Rwandan Communities Abroad (RCAs), outlined supporting the existing programmes such as one cow per family (Girinka), community-based health insurance and small-scale livestock rearing among areas of focus of their initiative.

RDGN, together with all the RCAs and MERGIMS company, will host the Diaspora homecoming day, the first of its kind. 

"The deliberations on the day will focus on how Rwandans in the Diaspora can continue to be a key partner in the development of the country, not only through entrepreneurship but also in philanthropic activities,” said Cyusa.

Cyusa’s comments were echoed by Nobert Haguma, the vice chairperson of RDGN—who is already in the country preparing the event.

Sharing and enticing entrepreneurs

Haguma said Diaspora entrepreneurs will share their success stories and challenges when conducting business in Rwanda, and come up with ways through which they would do well back home and be part of national development.

"Rwandans abroad have been involved in the reconstruction of their country at individual and community levels. At the community level, initiatives such as One Dollar Campaign and Bye Bye Nyakatsi are some of the most successful collective projects,” he said.

Figures from the central bank show that remittances from the Diaspora in 2014 were $174 million, second only to tourism as a foreign exchange earner.

"Rwandans abroad have come together to join forces to fight poverty in Rwanda,” Haguma told The New Times.

Through the initiative, the Diaspora hopes to pay health insurance for 45,000 Rwandans and donate 100 cows to Giranka programme in five districts deemed to be lagging.

The group also hopes to contribute to lifting up 100,000 citizens out of poverty.

About 200 members of the Rwandan community abroad are expected for the Diaspora homecoming gala.

During the event, representatives of Rwanda Development Board and local financial institutions will discuss investment opportunities and financial incentives that Diaspora entrepreneurs can take up in the country.

Other events scheduled include the Diaspora Trade and Investors Conference, launch of Diaspora Business Incubator, and Diaspora Business networking.