The UN Millennium Village Project should learn from the government’s Vision 2020 Umurenge Program on how to break the ruthless cycle of poverty amongst the poorest sectors. The Millennium Village was commissioned by the United Nations in 2002 to develop a concrete action plan for the world to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to reverse the grinding poverty, hunger and disease affecting billions of people. In an interview with the Finance and Economic Planning Minister James Musoni, said the VUP is away of concentrating resources for integrated development a fast track attainment of Vision 2020. He said the model is cheap and simple to implement. Government has allocated Frw 24 billion to implement Vision 2020 Umurenge. Musoni said that the model of Millennium Village is not a new approach to Rwanda because it has proved to be working out amongst 30 poorest sectors across the country with an intention of scaling up to 60 sectors before this year ends. Districts were selected by local leaders who were tasked to select sectors considered the poorest sectors in their respective districts. “There is no reason for that kind of principal (piloting) in Rwanda, instead they should join in our model of Vision 2020 Umurenge Program for concentration of resources in integrated development,” Musoni said. Musoni said government intends to have a dialogue with the project before end of this on how it can join the government’s model or help to reshape their model because it is more expensive. Vision 2020 Umurenge, is a national program considered that aims to eradicate extreme poverty by 2020. It is implemented by the Ministry of Local Government, Good Governance, Community Development and Social Affairs and supported by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. The Millennium Village cluster in Rwanda is located in Mayange, a sector of Bugesera District since 2006. Before, it was planned that Bugesera district to be the pilot study where the program would be extended to other districts in the country but the project has been constrained by resources. Ends
