In a bid to give back to society, the employees of RG Consult, the company that organises the monthly Kigali Jazz Junction, along with their partners, on Saturday, embarked on an initiative that will see them construct a house for a survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The house, worth Rwf9 million, will go to Genocide survivor Agnes Karubibi, a resident of Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, whose house was recently affected by heavy rains.
Construction activities started on Saturday during Umuganda (community work), with the laying of the foundation stone to Karubibi’s soon-to-be new home, which will be handed over in a couple of weeks.
With the support of Sahasra Electronics which provided the funding for the house, RG Consult representatives said they will continue to work with different partners to supplement government programmes which cater for the wellbeing of Genocide survivors.
Remmy Lubega, the RG Consult chief executive, said the initiative will continue to work hand in hand with its partners so the initiative can be extended to more vulnerable Genocide survivors.
"It is our social corporate responsibility to help needy people because we believe in building the community. It is not the work of the Government alone. Even us, as citizens, there is something we can do,” he said.
"There is still so much to do and if we come together as citizens, then we can change the lives of many people. Today we had Sahasra but we will keep talking to our partners so more Genocide survivors can be supported,” he said.
Lubega said that the same way they organise events and people show up, they equally have the responsibility to stand in the gap for those who are vulnerable and need support.
He added that, part of the money that will be collected from the Kigali Jazz Junction’s three-year anniversary celebration concert will be used to support more vulnerable communities, especially the Genocide survivors in June.
Karubibi, 59, is one of the residents in Gasabo who were affected by the April rains, having seen her house’s foundation partly destroyed while her latrine was also washed away by the previous rain downpour.
Lubega said that in such cases when disasters strike, citizens need to do their part to support Government efforts.
Before she gets a new house, which is now under construction, Karubibi said that she, her daughter and grandchildren were at the mercy of weather as water enters their bedrooms every time it rains.
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