Staff and management of AB Bank Rwanda, visited families of Genocide survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Gikomero in Gatsabo district where they donated goats and mituelli de santé to 18 families
The staff members lead by their Chief Executive Officer and other senior managers on Friday, 8th 2018 started the 2 hour journey to Gikomero from their main office in Kigali at around midday.
Speaking during the commemoration event, Arah Sadava, the Managing Director of AB Bank Rwanda said that it is never easy for them to comprehend what happened 24 years ago.
"Looking back beyond the Genocide against the Tutsis, what happened 24 years ago is never too easy to comprehend and Rwandans and other people of good will always remember and honor lives lost. As the effects of what happened many years ago still ring in our minds, hearts and our homes; we remember to bring back hope in the lives of those who lost their beloved ones.” said Sadava
She added that on behalf of the Board of Directors, Management and Employees, AB bank joins the Rwandan community and friends of Rwanda to honor the memory of the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsis, stand against any Genocide ideology.
The executive Secretary for Gikomero sector Rwamucyo Louis thanked AB bank for choosing to help the families of the Genocide survivors in their sector.
"The love and good spirit shown by AB bank will always be remembered here and we can never thank you enough. It show that people out there still care for those that survived the Genocide against the Tutsis” said Rwamucyo
He called upon the beneficiaries to try and live a better life and to use what has been given to them to fight poverty and improve their lives.
"The only way to repay the kindness that has been shown to you by AB Bank is to better your lives with what you’ve been given. The bank has given you health insurance (Mituelli) so that you have healthy lives” added Rwamucyo
What beneficiaries say
Mukatanganda Florence is a resident of Gikomero sector in Gatsibo District and one of the beneficiaries of AB Bank’s generosity.
She still remembers the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis clearly in her mind and says it was a trying moment for them back then.
My father and my mother were killed in the genocide. There are five children in my family.
During the genocide, I witnessed many people being killed in my village. We ran and hid in the bush, in the forest, in the river and in sorghum fields. We hid in any place that could hide us from death and though we tried, many Tutsis were killed and a few of us survived.
Years after the Genocide, we had no homes and life was not easy for us. However, the Government built us houses here in Gikomero and life started to have a meaning.
She added that the act of AB Bank has come at the right time when she was finding it hard to pay medical insurance (Mituelli) for her family and lack of capital to start up a small business.
"Today seeing these good people from AB Bank come to visit us and to give us help tells me that we should ever give up on life. We are going to try to see that we don’t let them down and that their donation is put to good use”
After the Visit
Latter the staff members convened at Ubumwe Hotel for a night vigil where a brief address was given on the year’s commemoration theme "Remember Unite Renew” and testimonies were given from Genocide survivors.
Also a short documentary film showing how the genocide was prepared and the current achievements in the country 24 years later was screened.
AB Bank Rwanda is a fully fledged micro finance bank, which offers a broad range of financial services to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and other clients in Rwanda. The bank is owned by 3 international shareholders and it is part of Access Bank Network with 6 banks in Africa, 3 banks in Europe/Central Asia and 1 Bank in South America.
The bank started its operations in Rwanda in January 2014. Now it has four branches in Rwanda, with the fifth one in Musanze. AB Bank Rwanda encourages Rwandans to use its products and services offered in a professional way.