Some of the people who were relocated to the Gari Model Village, located in Nyamicucu Sector of Burera District, are expressing their happiness about being settled in decent homes after being moved from high-risk zones that were prone to natural disasters.
Celestin Ntiruhunga, a resident of Gari Village in Nyamicucu Cell, Butaro Sector, Burera District, said he and others who lost their homes to disasters are grateful that their lives have changed for the better after being relocated by local authorities to a safer and improved environment.
“Where I used to live, my siblings, relatives, and friends, we lived on a steep slope where we dug holes, covered them with banana leaves and branches, and slept there, getting food was difficult because erosion would destroy our crops, leaving us with nothing. The government relocated us and built us houses. Now we live in peace with our families. Our hair no longer turns grey from malnutrition as it used to, because this new place is safe from disasters.”He said
Penina Harerimana, also a resident of the Gari Model Village, shared that life was extremely difficult when they lived in disaster-prone areas, and that even affected their children’s performance at school, as they often missed classes due to the harsh living conditions.
“When we lived in those dangerous areas, our children couldn’t go to school and succeed, because they had lost hope. They had no means to study and the bad roads made them skip classes. Honestly, they had no hope for the future. But now, they attend school regularly and perform well without any problems.”She spoke
Soline Mukamana, the Mayor of Burera District, urged the residents to take good care of the infrastructure that has been provided to them and to work hard to improve their livelihoods.
“We are pleased that houses are being built for our residents, especially those affected by natural disasters and those who were living in dangerous areas. This is a major achievement, as the construction of these homes cost more than 2 billion Rwandan francs. That’s why we urge them to maintain the houses well.”She stated
She added that in addition to the houses and toilets provided, each household also received a kitchen garden to help prevent malnutrition and stunting among children.
Out of the 380 houses that have been completed in the Gari Model Village, each home includes a toilet, a kitchen for cooking, and a kitchen garden. The village was built to relocate residents from life-threatening zones and to bring them closer to essential infrastructure.
