On this Saturday, 29th December 2012, Food for New Village Project launched the land terracing activities y in Gasharu Village. This activity coincided with the monthly community work, Umuganda, that was done at Gasharu Village on District level.
The beneficiaries of the project said they are happy with such activity as it will help in fighting soil erosion hence increasing the agricultural productivity. According to Karwera Aimée Providence, this project will help them conserve the soil of this region as it is made up of sloping hills and faces a threat of heavy rain that removes the fertile part of the soil. She said that she is convinced this will not only help them fight hunger but also getting some money to solve their problems such as medical insurance as they will get jobs in the project.
Both the Cyanika Executive Secretary and the Nyamagabe District Mayor told the beneficiaries they have to own these activities to be able to benefit from them. They also thanked all partners in this Project, Unity Club that advocated for it in collaboration with World Food Program, Good Neighbors Rwanda that implement it and the Government of Korea that sponsored it through WFP. On his side, the Managing Director of Food for New Village Project, Mr. Ilwon Seo thanked all participants in this launch ; he also urged the Cyanika population to get involved in protecting and exploiting these activities for they are theirs not for the Korean Government or the WFP’s activities.
The WFP Country Director and Representative, Hon. Abdoulaye Balde urged the population of Cyanika to exploit this opportunity by owning its activities. He said this is a chance many sectors cannot have in the country ; he told beneficiaries they no longer have any excuse for not developing their region. He emphasized the main spirit of this project is to equip Cyanika community with assets to be able to fight hunger, to provide them enough infrastructure for education, culture promotion as well as required skills to elaborate income generating projects.
The Guest of Honor, Mrs. Izabiliza Jeanne, the Executive Secretary of the Southern Province told both the Cyanika community and leadership there is no more reason for not becoming the best performing sector on national level.
She said Food for New Village has provided enough budget to develop the sector, especially the three targeted villages and then revealed the secret to make this project successful is to own it’s activities, for the implementers will leave the activities to Cyanika community. She said this should ensure the activities are well exploited and protected even after the project is finished. She ended her remarks by thanking all participants who have done an important work despite the rain.
The land terracing activity of Food for New Village Project will cover a surface land of 160 hectares in three villages of Birambo and Munyinya villages in Karama cell and Gasharu village of Gitega Cell, all in Cyanika sector. This launch was attended by Province High Official, The Executive Secretary, Army South Division Commander, Maj. Gen. Mubarak Muganga, Col. Kanimba Callixte, RNP Commander Chief Supr. Mwesigye E., His worship Mayor of Nyamagabe District, Mr. Zinarizima Diogčne, the Chair of District Council and all WFP staffs in Southern Province led by the WFP Country Director and Representative, Hono. Abdoulaye Balde. On Good Neighbors side, there was the Country Director, Mr. SungHyun Lee and Food for New Village Managing Director, Mr. Ilwon Seo and all their staff from Kigali and Nyamagabe.
