KIGALI - In a bid to contribute towards initiatives to fight poverty, MTN has contributed Rwf 11 million to 10 Muslim cooperatives to start income generating projects.

The donation was in the spirit of joining the Muslim community in the celebration of Eid-Ul-Fitr.

Paul Mugemangango, the Senior Manager, Legal and Corporate Affairs at MTN, said that the funding would help cooperative members to set up projects and small businesses.

"This year, we begun a process to ensure we make donations that will make a difference over a long time,” he said.

Mugemangango handed over the cheque to the Association of Muslims in Rwanda (AMUR) in a function that took place in Nyamirambo in Kigali City.

He noted that for the last ten years, MTN had been buying food for the less fortunate Muslims, but realised there is need to further expand the support.

"We want these people to stop begging and asking for food and start their own businesses and contribute to the economic growth of our country,” Sheikh Sulaiman Byagusetsa, the representative of AMUR in Kigali said.

Byagusetsa said that over Rwf 7 million would go to 10 cooperatives to set up income generating projects in agriculture and micro-businesses in the districts of Nyarugenge, Gasabo, Kicukiro,Bugesera and Ruhindo.

The remainder will cover the subscription cost of over 200 households that lack medical insurance  (Mutuelle de Sante) and buying basic drugs for patients admitted in hospitals.

A youth representative in AMUR, Asuman Niyigena, said that the major theme of this year’s celebrations was ‘celebrating Eid with dignity as we contribute to the economic development of our country.’

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