WESTERN PROVINCE

NYAMASHEKE — Anastase Murekezi, the Minister of Public Service and Labour has urged Rwandans to make a duty to help orphans.

The Minister made this call last week while addressing residents, school proprietors, cell leaders in charge of social affairs, clerics and Nyamasheke district leaders in Kagano sector. The meeting was organized by the Unity club, aimed at discussing a wide range of issues concerning the living conditions of orphans in the district.

"As helpful and people with focused minds I urge you to know that helping all categories of orphans is an obligation to each and every Rwandan because orphans like other children are Rwandan leaders of tomorrow," Murekezi said.

Murekezi urged capable residents to adopt and care for orphans in their homes. He advised the parents to always listen to orphans in order to easily identify their problems and see how they can solve them.

District officials noted that the number of children orphaned by the genocide and Aids is still big but the district strives to help them.

During the same occasion, the district consultative council urged residents to encourage orphans to form cooperatives in order to be monitored and looked after easily.

Dativa Nyirangendahimana, a genocide orphan looking after her four young siblings in Ninzi village was given Frw200, 000 by officials of the Unity club.

Nyirangendahimana pointed out that food shortages, inadequate home equipments and unemployment were some of the major challenges facing the orphans. She appealed to the government to help secure jobs for orphans who finished schools. The orphans who dropped out of school should be trained in vocational skills like tailoring and carpentry in order to become self reliant Nyirangendahimana said.

Ends