At 78, Edouard Rwanyange still relies on a garden hoe to cultivate his small rural farm in Tumba Sector, Rulindo District. But for nearly a year, failing eyesight threatened to take away the independence he had spent a lifetime building, turning even the simplest daily tasks into a struggle. ALSO READ: Kagame marks 32 years of Liberation, says Rwanda’s struggle must continue to evolve I could not see far, and even seeing things at a short distance was a problem, he recalled, as he waited in a line with several other eye patients, early in the morning on Sunday, May 10, at Kinihira Provincial Hospital. At the time, a countrywide Defence and Security Citizen Outreach Programme aimed at performing 6,000 surgeries across the country, had just started. In the previous programme, up to 3,000 people underwent surgery. ALSO READ: How Kagame masterminded RPA’s decisive campaign against Genocide within hours A year earlier, specialist doctors participating in the Defence and Security Citizen Outreach Programme treated one of Rwanyange’s eyes at the hospital. The surgery restored his sight, allowing him to return to farming. This year, he returned for treatment on the other eye, hopeful that he would fully regain his full vision. ALSO READ: Transforming eye care in Rwanda: Expert sheds light on country’s plans to improve vision health After the soldiers treated one of my eyes, last year, I was able to start working again. Once this other eye is treated, I will be in a much better condition and able to return to my activities, he said. ALSO READ: Inside the RPA's rescue mission to stop the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi Rwanyange was among hundreds of area residents receiving free eye care and cataract treatment through an initiative led by Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Rwanda National Police, the Ministry of Health, and partners including the Fred Hollows Foundation. The outreach programme concludes on July 4, forms part of activities marking Liberation Day. Locally known as Kwibohora, Liberation Day, is celebrated annually on July 4 to mark the end of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the victory of the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA). It is commemorated nationwide with community-level events and reflections on the country's progress and unity. Despite his advanced age, Rwanyange still cultivates his land as much as his strength allows. Even though I am old, I still use a hoe and do some farming. I no longer have much strength, but I work as much as I can, he said. He said the outreach programme changed his life. It was only when the soldiers came that I truly benefited. The eye that had gone blind regained sight thanks to the specialists they brought here to Kinihira. For him, the treatment means more than improved health. It means preserving dignity and self-reliance in old age. Once this treatment is completed, despite my limited strength, it will help me continue doing the small tasks I am still capable of. It will help me age with dignity while still being able to see. We do not know how to thank them enough, he said. To me, being able to see and care for myself again – that is what real liberation means to me. Anonciette Bavugayabo, a 57-year-old farmer from Rukozo Sector, echoed his sentiments. After months of unsuccessful treatment attempts, Bavugayabo only learned during the outreach programme that she had a cataract in one eye. Her failing vision was making it increasingly difficult to work and carry out everyday tasks. When harvesting beans, you can spend hours working only to realise you have not done the job properly because you cannot see clearly, she said. I cannot even thread a needle to mend my own clothes. For someone living in a rural area with limited resources, specialised treatment had felt out of reach. There is no way I could afford this kind of medical care. I had never seen equipment like this before, she said. Beyond the medical care, the outreach programme gave Bavugayabo something equally important: a renewed sense of trust and confidence. In the past, when we saw soldiers, we would run away. Today, I no longer run away. We talk, and they help me with my problems, she said. We have nothing to give them in return except our prayers. For me, this is what liberation means. The outreach programme reflects how the meaning of liberation has evolved over the years, according to Brig. Gen. Dr. Jean Chrysostome Kagimbana, Commander of the Regional Military Support Command. What began in 2009 as a week-long medical outreach by doctors from Rwanda Military Hospital has since grown into a nationwide citizen outreach programme, bringing together specialist medical teams from across the country. Security goes beyond fighting and shooting, he said. It is also about health, good roads, housing, and other services that improve people's lives. The medical outreach programme aims to bring specialised healthcare closer to communities that would otherwise struggle to access referral hospitals and specialist care. Our policy is to meet people where they need us most. We bring specialised healthcare services closer to where people live, Kagimbana said. According to Kagimbana, the programme reflects the values of liberation by ensuring that the gains of peace and security translate into tangible improvements in people's lives. We liberated the country, but today liberation also means helping citizens live better lives, he said. When people can access specialised healthcare near their homes, regain their health, and continue their daily activities, that is part of the progress we fought for.
