Ibuka, an association of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, has commended all partners who have provided support and has encouraged others to contribute to assisting vulnerable members through a programme dubbed the "Survivors in the Community Initiative”.

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Initiated as Rwanda marks the 31st commemoration of the Genocide, the programme aims to renovate 150 homes belonging to Genocide survivors, provide community-based health insurance for 10,000 vulnerable survivors, and improve the livelihoods of 500 vulnerable families through the Girinka (One Cow per Family) programme.

It also seeks to support 100 survivors with access to finance for small-scale entrepreneurship initiatives.

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On April 17, the management and staff of Rwanda Printery Company, which owns Imvaho Nshya newspaper, contributed to this initiative by donating funds to support the renovation of homes for vulnerable Genocide survivors in Avega Village, Kimironko Sector, Gasabo District, after visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial.

Theogene Ndayishimiye, the coordinator of Ibuka in Kimironko Sector, commended the support, stating that at least 17 homes of Genocide survivors in the area need to be renovated amid heavy rain season.

"These houses are in need of urgent repair. The assistance is timely, especially as we are in the rainy season and some of the houses have been damaged. We are mobilising support to renovate all these houses during the 100 days of commemoration,” he said.

Verdiana Mukamunana, a representative of AVEGA Agahozo, an association of Genocide widows, noted that six homes of vulnerable Genocide survivors in Kimironko Sector had been damaged in one month due to heavy rains.

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"These houses are quite old. Some were first occupied in 1998 and others in 2000. They were not built with durable materials, as they were part of emergency support at the time,” Mukamunana said.

"We are seeking assistance to renovate them, as they remain highly vulnerable to continued rainfall and strong winds,” she said.

Jerome Bizimana, the interim chief executive officer of Rwanda Printery Company, stated that staff and management visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial to pay tribute to the victims and made a donation to support the renovation of homes for survivors in need as part of our understanding of the history of the Genocide and building resilience among survivors.

"We began by contributing to the renovation of homes for Genocide survivors in need, specifically in AVEGA village, which houses widows and orphans. This commemoration activity is a tool to ensure that the Genocide never happens again, as Rwandans continue to promote unity and resilience,” he said.