The Rotary Club Kigali on Thursday, July 10, installed Dr Alexis Muderevu as its new president for the 2025-2026 term, succeeding Rotarian Ida Alexandra de Cordier. With close to 60 years of service, Rotary Club Kigali was the first to be established in Rwanda. ALSO READ: Rotary International president visits cancer patients in Kinyinya, pledges more support Muderevu, an emergency surgeon and emergency medicine specialist at Kanombe Military Hospital, and Chairperson of the Rotary Polio Plus Program in Rwanda, pledged that during his tenure, the club will donate a mammography machine to support early breast cancer detection and prevention among Rwandan women. Muderevu also pledged to install a biogas system at Ecole des Sciences St Louis de Montfort Nyanza, in Nyanza District. ALSO READ: Youth Minister urges young Rotarians to lead community service In his acceptance speech, Muderevu noted that the work ahead of the club requires willingness, commitment, fulfillment, and solidarity from each member. “Our objectives for this new year will be aligned with the development of projects that serve the best interest of our beneficiaries. Our club will continue to strive to meet the needs we identify,” he said. “We’ll donate a mammography machine, a medical imaging device specifically designed for breast screening. The machine will have a significant and lasting impact on the Rwandan population in terms of early diagnosis and prevention of breast cancer. For instance, women aged between 40 and 45 should undergo screening, and those aged between 45 and 55 should have at least one mammogram per year,” he explained. Muderevu explained that the pledged biogas system for the school is part of adopting green energy and environment protection. “Imagine a school with 800 students, cooking for all of them requires tons of firewood every day, he said. Think about where all those trees come from; it leads to environmental degradation. That’s why we’re contributing in this way to help students learn in a better environment while also protecting nature,” he said. “This is only possible if we act in unity to make our club a privileged space for sharing, selflessness, and action so, we may fully and harmoniously participate in programs, activities, and initiatives that benefit the most vulnerable populations, as well as in our club’s meetings,” said Muderevu. “Let’s encourage others to join noble causes like this one. More people means more capabilities. I believe we can do it,” he added. The Rotary Club Kigali “Doyen” was created in Rwanda in 1966, and it was the first French-speaking Club. It currently has 25 club members. Activities of Rotary clubs are carried out within seven areas of focus, which reflect the priorities of Rotary International. These are peacebuilding and conflict prevention or resolution, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, economic and rural development, and environment. ALSO READ: Rotary club Kigali commits to mentor youth Rotary Club Kigali's outgoing president, Ida Alexandra de Cordier, thanked members for their work, noting that despite the challenges, the club remained strong and achieved successes in various areas. “We took the lead in organizing World Polio Day under the leadership of CP Dr Muderevu, Chair of Polio Rwanda. For this event, the Public Image Committee received two certificates of recognition from Zone 22, one for Best Video and one for Best Media Coverage,” she said. The club also implemented two Global Grant (GG) projects approved at the end of the 2024–2025 Rotarian year. “For instance, under the ‘Rwanda Nurses Save Lives’ project, a GG valued at Rwf178 million focused on maternal and child health, 140 nurses and 160 community health workers were trained to detect symptoms of rheumatic heart disease in children,” she said. “Sheer Love Rwanda, a GG of Rwf71.9 million, focused on education, learning, and socio-economic development, including paying two years of school fees for street children and the donation of a goat-rearing project,” she explained. Bwiza Initiative, a GG of Rwf83 million, focused on empowering young girls in menstrual health, through the creation of cooperatives producing reusable sanitary pads in five schools in Burera District, she added. The club is preparing to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of its 60th anniversary.
