Michel Nkurunziza<\/b><\/p>\n
Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Andrew Rugege, the new president of Rotary Club of Kigali Seniors (RCKS), has outlined projects for 2023-2024 which include fighting stunting and malnutrition.<\/p>\n Rugege was appointed as the club\u2019s new president, on August 18, 2023 at Kigali Serena Hotel.<\/p>\n Recognising the urgent need to combat child malnutrition, Rugege noted that RCKS is dedicated to contributing to its eradication.<\/p>\n \u201cA worrying statistic that I read recently shows that although 72 per cent of families in Rwanda grow food for a living, 33 per cent of young children are chronically malnourished.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that malnutrition has recently been in the news and that it is an elevated government programme has spurred Rotary to action,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Andrew Rugege, the new president of Rotary Club of Kigali Seniors (RCKS),<\/p>\n He said the club shall be looking beyond \u201cone egg and a packet of milk per day for 12 days to reverse malnutrition\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cAsking why there is such a disconnect between agriculture and nourishment, we are looking for ways to equip vulnerable families with climate resilient hand-on agricultural techniques, improve access to vegetable seeds by creating communal nutrition-sensitive gardens, and provide households with seeds,\u201d the new club\u2019s president committed.<\/p>\n The club has also embarked on a mission to provide health insurance for needy families within the community.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s our belief that access to healthcare is a fundamental right, and through this project, we aim to alleviate the financial burden of medical expenses for those who need it most,\u201d Rugege said.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t just give a man a fish, teach them how to fish\u201d<\/p>\n As the adage goes, \u201cdon\u2019t just give a man a fish, teach them how to fish\u201d, Rugege pledged to support families to start small businesses for income generation.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is not enough to provide a family with the Mutuelle premium for this year so the club intends to work with needy families to create sustainable small businesses from which they can pay Mutuelle in a dignified and sustainable manner,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Just a year old, the club’s journey has been marked by exceptional achievements.<\/p>\n Rugege added that the club is finalising collaboration with the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley in California.<\/p>\n \u201cConsidering the enormity of the task, we shall be reaching out for more partners. This noble endeavour aligns perfectly with our commitment to \u2018create hope in the world\u2019. By addressing malnutrition, we not only enhance the physical well-being of children but also invest in their future potential, giving them the chance to thrive and become beacons of hope in their communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n One of the cornerstones of creating lasting hope is fostering peace education, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIn partnership with Aegis Trust, we will engage in comprehensive peace education initiatives. As in our other initiatives, RCKS\u2019s approach to peace education is an afore-thought rather than an after-thought focusing on conflict avoidance rather than conflict resolution and indeed peace-keeping,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Mentoring young individuals<\/p>\n He said the club members will passionately mentor young individuals, including interactors (at high school level) and rotaractors (at university level).<\/p>\n Rotaract is Rotary’s programme for young leaders aged 18-30.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough mentorship, we have the unique opportunity to shape the leaders of tomorrow, instilling in them the values of service, integrity, and community engagement,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Rugege announced the formation of a group of exceptional young men and women from the Agahozo Shalom School into a Rotaract Club parented by the Rotary Club of Kigali Seniors.<\/p>\n Gerald Mpyisi, the outgoing first president of Rotary Club of Kigali Seniors (RCKS), which was chartered in February 2022, said that the club has 26 committed members.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no doubt that under the leadership of President Andrew the membership will rise to 50 by the end of his term,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He said that in most cases this involves coming up and implementing projects that reflect the humanitarian work of Rotary in areas such as promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene, supporting education and growing local economies and more.<\/p>\n Last year, he said, members collected over Rwf3 million to support 1,000 individuals (243 families) who were not able to pay their own health insurance.<\/p>\n \u201cFinancially, our club is quite healthy. We ended the financial year with a reserve balance of Rwf4.8 million,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n Gerald Mpyisi, the outgoing first president of Rotary Club of Kigali Seniors (RCKS).<\/p>\n\r\n