A group of 30 employees of the US embassy in Kigali, yesterday, planted over 300 trees at Nyanza Genocide Memorial Site in Kagarama Sector, Kicukiro District.

The function was organised by the Embassy in conjunction with IBUKA, an umbrella organisation for genocide survivors’ associations.

Others who participated in the tree planting exercise were students from Rwanda Tourism University College (RTUC).

Addressing fellow staff members, Anne Casper, the Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy, requested them to always strive to make the world green by fighting against deforestation.

"We are here for two purposes; commemorating the innocent victims of the Genocide, and planting trees which is in line with the Earth Day that will be celebrated on April 22,” Casper said.

She said that planting the trees was a symbol of hope and light that prevails among Rwandans and encouraged her colleagues to continue rebuilding the nation that was destroyed during the Genocide.

Casper added that the Green Team of the US Embassy was pleased to have a partnership with IBUKA, pledging continued support to Nyanza Memorial site and IBUKA in various development programmes.

The first vice president of IBUKA, Egide Nkuranga, thanked the Embassy staff  for planting trees at the memorial.
He urged them to mobilise other diplomatic missions in the country to also carry out similar initiatives with other memorial sites across the country and help vulnerable Genocide survivors.

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