Young Rwandan professionals raised Rwf670.9m towards Agaciro Development Fund (AgDF) during a fund raising luncheon in Kigali, yesterday. The event was graced by President Paul Kagame.The professionals, grouped under Umurinzi Reflection Center, comprise young business leaders, youthful men and women in various leadership positions within civil service.Through Umurinzi, the young professionals are involved in various activities geared towards wealth creation and rural development.In his speech, President Kagame thanked the organisers of the event which he said adds significance to the project (AgDF) that has enormous value to Rwandans.“People have made contributions and this shouldn’t be the end itself, we are still going on, the Agaciro you read and heard so much about, is about you, me and our future, it’s about the value, we want to give to our name and to our country,” Kagame observed.AgDF is a solidarity fund initiated by the Rwandans to improve the financial autonomy and accelerate the countries development goals. Rwandans from all walks of life and in different parts of the world, as well as friends of Rwanda have turned out in large numbers to contribute to the fund.The Head of State added: “It’s our future, when I look at all of you, I see Rwanda. I start asking myself other questions, how less important are you than others from other countries and find no reason that either anybody should look at you, as being less important or that you, yourselves should ever believe it, that your less important, there is no justification,”“You are as important as human beings as anybody else anywhere in this world. As professionals it means you have done so many things, you have qualified for many things that put you in that category.”“You are as qualified in many ways and by qualification I don’t mean degrees, diplomas, I mean the value in you as a person because you could still have these degrees but actually they may present no much value.”Kagame said that some have put their qualifications to good use to the point it has raised them to the level above others. “We are trying to build ourselves and the nation to the point that nobody should see us being below others.”“Why would you want to be seen as being below others, what is missing? We need to go beyond just being inspired and motivated so that we can do and make things happen. Rwanda has a very strong foundation based on values, traditions and culture of proud people” the President emphasised.“You should be proud of yourselves, never ever want to be somebody else. Be yourself and only improve yourself so that you can be better.”As Rwanda as a nation, he said, we want to learn and even learn from others and be inspired so that we build a better Rwanda not another nation. “So you better stand up to the worthy of the expectation, so that others behind you may even come and do better and move Rwanda forward.”The President said every problem in any sense has a silver lining and as Rwandans there is a need to learn not to despair even with the hardest of the challenges they may face.“Why should a citizen of another country have an obligation to feed me forever? This is almost blasphemy,” Kagame observed.“We have high ambitions and few resources but we must get there, this is how people who give themselves Agaciro operate.”“Agaciro Fund isn’t just money; the biggest value of it lies in the spirit we have as Rwandans.”The Agaciro Fund has so far raised over Rwf21 billion.The colourful function was also graced by guest speakers from Kenya and Rwanda who shared words of inspiration and motivation with the young professionals.Dr. James Mwangi, CEO and Group Managing Director of Kenya’s Equity Bank Limited and one of the speakers said transformation of Africa lies in the hands of entrepreneurs.On behalf of Equity Bank, Mwangi contributed Rwf100 million towards Agaciro Fund.
