GAKENKE / HUYE – At least 39 cows were yesterday handed over to poor families in Mugunga zone, Gakenke district under the national program of One Cow per family.

So far the programme has managed to benefit over 240 families within the three sectors of Gakenke District.

In Muzo sector, residents contributed and bought 8 Friesian cows which they donated to 12 poor families of the survivors of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi.

While lauding this move, the District Mayor Pierre Damien Hakizayezu said that residents should continue with the spirit of supporting one another in fighting poverty within their communities.

In Huye, at least 74 local leaders classified as ‘needy’ in the district had reason to smile Wednesday after they were given cows under the cattle stocking programme.

Marie Claire Mukamusonera, the Huye District vice-mayor in charge of economic affairs, speaking during the ceremony said that the district is giving back cows to local leaders with limited means in order to improve their living standards.

"Local leaders were obliged to hand back Girinka cows not because they did not merit them but because they had diverted the program; instead of starting with poor families they began by benefiting themselves,” Mukamusonera said.

She said that at a later stage, it was realized that there were actually, needy local leaders who qualified to benefit from the scheme. 

"I am very happy to have been reconsidered to benefit from the program, it will go along way in improving the living standards of my family,” said Speciose Uwizeyimana, the leader of Rango cell in Rango sector.

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