KIGALI - Cash and pledges in the ‘One Dollar Campaign’ have reached over Rwf 50 million in just over two weeks since its launch.

The Rwanda Diaspora Global Network (RDGN) head Gustave Karara revealed this over the phone yesterday, 18 days after the launch of the 100-day long fundraising campaign.

"Neary fifty two million (Rwandan francs) is what has been gathered so far, both from within and outside the country,” Karara said.

On its launch on April 4, Rwf 1,760,588 in  cash and Rwf 27,862,800  in pledges was raised from members of the Diaspora, Rwandans in the country and "friends of Rwanda.” Many, including local artists have continued to support the project.

A concert organized by the artistes last Friday to create public awareness and raise funds also saw people come out with a huge show of support.

"At the concert last week, over one million and two hundred thousand francs were raised. But you know, the concert was mainly organized to generate public awareness for the campaign,” Karara said.

Previously – starting earlier on Thursday, the artistes had staged road shows in town also aimed at making the campaign known. 

The ‘One Dollar Campaign’ intends to help raise funds to build accommodation facilities for homeless orphans of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

In the pipeline is the construction of hostels for about 500 students orphans of the Genocide. It was estimated last December when the campaign was first mooted during the Diaspora conference in Kigali, that the project needed at least Rwf 1.5 billion.

‘One Dollar Campaign’ bank accounts have been opened in Rwanda and abroad where embassies exist or where there are large Diaspora communities.

In Rwanda, the account, dubbed the "Agaseke Diaspora One Dollar Campaign” has been opened in Banque de Kigali (BK) with three separate accounts for Rwandan Francs, US Dollars and Euros.

Foreign accounts are open in countries that include neighbouring Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Belgium, Japan, Sweden, Canada and others.

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