In a significant move towards supporting survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, various district partners in Rulindo have pledged to address the critical housing shortage faced by survivors.
Since 1998, over 918 houses have been constructed or renovated, including 15 renovated in 2024.
Alphoncine Murebwayire, the Ibuka chairperson in Rulindo district says collaboration between the district and various partners has been key to these efforts.
"We have managed to construct or renovate more than 900 house units for the 1994 genocide survivors. Among them, 15 were renovated this year, but we still have 520 housing units in need of renovation and 69 that need to be replaced, while 124 survivors still need accommodation," she said.
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Bernadette Mukahigiro, 78, a genocide survivor in Rulindo district, describes the stark difference between living in a renovated home and her previous shelter with crumbling walls, leaking roofs, and inadequate sanitation facilities. After her husband was killed while working in the Nyakabingo wolfram mines during the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, Bernadette spent years in a deteriorating shelter.
She has now moved into a renovated housing unit thanks to Trinity Mining Nyakabingo, which donated a house worth Rwf 27 million. Bernadette now feels a sense of relief and security that she hadn't experienced in years.
"I lived in constant fear when it rained," Bernadette shares. "The roof leaked, and the walls felt like they could collapse at any moment. It was a daily struggle, but now, with this new housing unit, I can finally sleep peacefully at night knowing that I am safe. The improved conditions have had a positive impact on my mental and physical well-being, and I pray that other survivors will also have the opportunity to experience the same sense of safety and comfort that I now have," she said.
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During the Genocide, many Tutsi victims in Rulindo were killed and tortured. Over 19,000 victims are laid to rest at the district's genocide memorial, including mine workers who perished in the Nyakabingo wolfram mines from grenade attacks by Interahamwe militias. Many survivors, like Bernadette, were left without proper housing or basic necessities.
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Local authorities, the private sector, and non-governmental organisations have been working to address these pressing needs, but the scale of the problem requires significant resources and sustained effort.
James Mudahunga, the general manager at Trinity Nyakabingo Mine in Rulindo District, emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government, private sector, and NGOs to ensure that all survivors are provided with safe and secure accommodation as they rebuild their lives.
"We pledge to support genocide survivors annually; this year we built a house for Bernadette worth Rwf 27 million and provided cows worth Rwf 2 million. We started with survivors and families of the victims who worked in the wolfram mines, but we envisage supporting wider communities in partnership with the district in years to come," he said.
Laurence Mukayiranga, a Community Engagement Analyst at the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), recently told The New Times that the target is to solve all shelter-related issues by 2026. She added that budget constraints have hampered progress in renovating all survivors' old houses.
According to figures from MINUBUMWE, some Rwf 9.5 billion was invested in the 2017/18 fiscal year for 975 houses, Rwf 14.4 billion in 2018/19 for 1,186 houses, Rwf 6.7 billion in 2019/2020 for 563 houses, Rwf 8.1 billion in 2020/2021 for 662 houses, and Rwf 11 billion in 2021/22 for constructing and rehabilitating 860 houses.
