EASTERN PROVINCE:

RWAMAGANA — A UK based organisation, Send a Cow has donated 100 Friesian cows to residents of Rwamagana.

The donation came in line with the Eastern Province police of One-Cow-One-Family that was initiated by President Paul Kagame.

The cows were given to 36 members of Dukorere Igihugu Cooperative in Munyiginya Sector and 64 members of Imbarutso Cooperative in Muyumbu Sector, Rwamagana district. Each family got one cow.

"We were told to pick pieces of paper in a box as a way of choosing which cow some one is choosing. I couldn’t believe it until they showed me my own cow,” said Teddy Kabeza excitedly after receiving her Friesian.

Another beneficiary, Esperance Mukamwiza who is also the treasurer of Dukorere Igihugu Cooperative said that she was extremely excited to have received a Friesian.

"I am so happy for the donation. It shows how the government always consider us,” she said.  

The country representative of Send a Cow International, Henry Pomeroy said that his organisation aims at making a significant change in the lives of farmers and developing rural communities.

Pomeroy said; "It is a shared vision and responsibility in a sense that if we start working together we will soon start enjoying the benefits from these cows.”

 He requested beneficiaries to share and care of the cows.

 "We wish to see a developed community. What we have done is a small contribution to government’s efforts of achieving the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty by 50 percent by the year 2015,”Pomeroy said. 

The ceremony of donating 100 cows was presided over by the director of Rwanda Animal Resource Development Authority (RARDA), Dr. Théogène Rutagwenda.

Rutagwenda told beneficiaries that they should reimburse the calves to their neighbors.

The Mayor of Rwamagana District Valens Ntezirembo said that the cows belonged to the community not to individual residents.

"These cows belong to the community as whole because we all benefit from them equally. A neighbour’s kid cannot suffer from malnutrition when there is plenty of milk,” said Ntezirembo.

The mayor also warned jealousy residents against poisoning the cows saying that he does not wish to hear such cases.
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