Rwanda : Mayor commends World Vision for supporting Kigeme camp refugees

Nyamagabe district mayor Philbert Mugisha has commended humanitarian organizations for supporting thousands of Congolese refugees in both Nkamira and Kigeme Refugee camps.

The Mayor was speaking to refugees on Wednesday when World Vision Rwanda was distributing aid worth Rwf10 million to households in Kigeme refugee camp. The aid was made up of non-food items such as hygiene kits, Vaseline, towels, sweaters, Jean trousers for men and women, shoes for children and adults, sandals, mixed clothes for children, buckets, washing and bathing soap, among others.

“I would like to thank World Vision for the love they have shown to the Congolese refugees by providing the much needed aid. We are grateful to see that in addition to the ongoing development support they are already providing to Nyamagabe district, World Vision Rwanda has gone on to directly support the refugees in Kigeme camp.” he explained.

He thanked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR) for working closely with other development partners to improve the living conditions of refugee in both Nkamira and Kigeme camp.

He called upon refuges to keep discipline, be conscious of their hygiene and to keep away from drugs and any other behaviors that are against the Rwandan law

According to Claudine Furaha, one of the refugees that received a variety of household utensils donated by World Vision Rwanda, the gears will protect them from diseases. “We are so grateful to World Vision for giving us household and hygiene utensils that we critically needed. They have given me shoes for me and all my children, sandals, a bucket, Vaseline, clothes and bathing and washing soap. We are glad to receive sweaters that will keep us and our children warm, given that Kigeme is a very cold place,” she explained.

She said that each household was previously receiving one piece of soap per months, which she said forced many of them to sell some of the food provided to them to buy hygiene utensils, particularly soap.

She said that the remaining major concern in the camp was lack of food supplements for the children. “Children have failed to eat the available food which is ingrained maize and beans. We need food supplements mainly sosoma, to prevent our children from suffering from malnutrition,” she said

World Vision Rwanda Integrated Programmes Director Russell Dlamini said it wishes to partner with MIDIMAR, UNHCR and other partners to improve living conditions of refugees mainly in Nkamira and Kigeme camps. “World Vision is a child focused organization. The fact that the camps have big numbers of children inspires us to take immediate action towards the improvement of their living condition,” he said.

He said that experts from World Vision East Africa Regional Office in Nairobi were in the country to assess and find gaps and major needs for the thousands of refugees in Nkamira and Kigeme camps. “We shall partner with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs, UNHCR and other partners to ensure that all essential needs of these refugees are met,” he promised.