The Food and Agriculture Organisation has launched a project to promote youth employment and fight malnutrition in four districts across the  country.

The Euros 800 000 (about Rwf651.9 million) project dubbed "Promoting Nutrition Sensitive Agricultural Diversification to Reduce Poverty, Fight Malnutrition and Enhance Youth Employment Opportunities in Eastern Africa” was launched on Tuesday and is, expected to empower youth and women and fight malnutrition.

The beneficiaries were selected from four districts namely Gakenke, Bugesera, Ruhango and Gisagara.

In total over 50 youths will be supported along with 200 households.

Also, 200 female-headed households will be supported to establish small-scale egg production units.

Each beneficiary will receive a farmer kit comprising pullets, feeds, feeders, drinkers and vaccines. Beneficiaries will also be supported in the construction of poultry structures.

Speaking to beneficiaries at the launch and handover of some of the chickens in Ruhango District, Dr Otto Vianey Muhinda, the FAO deputy representative to Rwanda in charge of programmes, urged them to properly utilise the grant.

 "The project is expected to lift you from poverty.  It is startup capital. You need   to utilise it to boost your incomes. I hope we will be able to see a socio-economic transformation in the future,” he said.  

Dr Christine Kanyandekwe, the deputy director general in charge of animal resources at Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), called on the beneficiaries to ensure better management of the project to make it profitable.

 She said, "We expect this poultry project to make you job providers instead of seekers. You need to manage it well to benefit from it.”

She advised the residents to adopt a savings culture to enable them bring in other pullets.

This should be a business that should benefit both you and your neighbours, Kanyandekwe said.

François Xavier Mbabazi, the Ruhango District mayor, told beneficiaries that once well managed, the project would help speed up socio-economic development in the area.

Emmanuel Harerimana, a fresh graduate who was given 330 pullets, said he would do his best to expand the business.

He said, "My dream has come true.  Since I graduated in 2014, I have been looking for a job but in vain. I will do my best to double the number of the chickens so that I earn more money.”

For Magnifique Nyirabagwiza, a beneficiary in Byimana Sector, Ruhango District, the birds would help her achieve her dream of attaining university education.

"I will do my best to make it sustainable and profitable,” she said.