Rwanda Genocide Survivors Fund (FARG) says it urgently needs land on which to construct houses for 1,836 genocide survivors by June next year. In a recent meeting with district officials and FARG, the State minister in charge of socio-economic development, Vincent Munyeshyaka, called upon FARG to seek land, assess the expropriation cost or explore free state land in conjunction with the districts. Theophile Ruberangeyo, the Director General of FARG, told Sunday Times that the fund has set aside Rwf1.2bn, particularly for seeking land for four new proposed sites to construct the houses. The houses will benefit the most vulnerable widows, widowers and the elderly whose family members were totally wiped out during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsior have children who are unable to help them, he added. The beneficiaries will settle in areas where they can access basic infrastructure and will be provided with helpers to provide them social assistance. New sites proposed, await land allocation New sites in each province have been proposed depending on the number of the most vulnerable. “In the Southern Province we have over 990 vulnerable people. We designed a site nearby Kabgayi hospital to gather those from Kamonyi, Muhanga, Ruhango, Nyanza districts while at the same time benefitting from medical treatment,” Ruberangeyo said. Other sites, he said, include one to be set up in Karongi district in Western province for those from Nyamasheke, Rusizi, Rubavu districts. Speaking to the Sunday Times, Drocelle Mukashema, the vice mayor in charge of social affairs in Karongi District, said once the site is proposed, the district is ready to provide the land. “We have no problem with the land. We will work with FARG. What we have to check is to assess if it is not a high risk zone. We can use public land or refer to other alternatives”, she said. Two sites, he said , have been proposed in Eastern province. One in Bugesera connecting those from Bugesera district which has 68 survivors, 56 in Rwamagana and others in Kirehe, Ngoma and Kigali. The sites are close to Nyamata, Kanombe and Faisal hospitals for easy medical access. Another site in Eastern province will be set up to combine those from Nyagatare, Gatsibo, a part of Kayonza and Rwamagana districts. Jean Francois Gihana, the shelter officer at FARG, said workers will provided to care for them, and cows will also be distributed to the survivors. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
