Around 870 students from the University of Rwanda, Nyagatare Campus, who are affected by the lockdown received food support. The intervention from Nyagatare District comes as a response to social media complaints. According to Elia Ninsima, the Guild President at Nyagatare Campus of the University of Rwanda, the students received rice, maize flour and beans. In one tweet a student appealed for help from the government. Ese ntakuntu @RwandaLocalGov yashyira muri gahunda @Uni_Rwanda students nabo bakagenerwa ibiribwa, bakica isari? Bamwe muribo barataka inzara. Murakoze. Hon. @Dr_Uwamariya @gatjmv @pusu_r @ursss_rwanda @urcst @voicesofyouth @oswaki @Annemwiza @TwahirwaIpha @KARANGWASewase pic.twitter.com/pMWJDXnxPV — 🇷🇼Pelly Prudence IRAGUHA (@Pelly_Pi) July 22, 2021 In response, the Minister of Education, Valentine Uwamariya, said that like other vulnerable people, students affected by the pandemic deserved support. Struggling students, she said, should raise the matter with their respective university authorities. When the government imposed a lockdown on Kigali City and eight other districts, students in higher learning institutions who reside at campus were advised to remain at their respective campuses. Urakoze kuri ubu butumwa @Pelly_Pi Umunyarwanda wese uri mu Turere turi muri guma mu rugo afite uburenganzira bwo guhabwa ubufasha bwibiribwa. Abanyeshuri bafite ibibazo babinyuze ku Buyobozi bwa za Kaminuza bigamo bafashwe.@Uni_Rwanda — Dr. Valentine Uwamariya (@Dr_Uwamariya) July 22, 2021 Others were advised to stay home and continue with their studies remotely. “We are not allowed to leave campus because of the lockdown. I have used up all the little money,” one student from Nyarugenge Campus who requested anonymity said. However, Innocent Ntwari, the Guild President at the campus, said the students’ body was ready to intervene and help those in need. “Students are given daily meals at school. They will once they get their living allowance from the government,” he said. Ignatius Kabagambe, Head of Corporate Communication at the University of Rwanda said; “UR administration is following up closely in college hostels to make sure that vulnerable students are identified and helped.” Pelly Prudence Iraguha, an education quality activist, said that the pandemic affected everyone, students included, “that is why they also must be helped as it is being done to the rest.” The government has introduced various measures to help control the spread of the deadly Delta variant of coronavirus. In addition to the lockdowns in Kigali and eight other districts, the government has also placed 50 sectors from 14 districts under lockdown.
