Tigo Rwanda Donates Cows to Gatsibo Genocide Survivors

On Tuesday, 21 June, a team of 38 members of the Tigo Finance Department donated three Friesian cattle along with their paddocks to three families of survivors in Kiramuruzi Sector, Gatsibo District, Eastern Province in a ceremony that was attended by local officials and area residents. 

The donation of cattle to the three families is part of the ‘Tigo 100 Days of Love’ initiative that comprises of a series of activities to build partnerships with the local community during this year’s genocide commemoration period.

The aim of the Tigo 100 Days of Love is to remember and honour the lives that were lost in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi while helping to support those who survived. As part of this commemoration on 5, May Tigo Rwanda senior management, unveiled a solar power system that they donated to the Bisesero Genocide Memorial in Karongi District, Western Province. Furthermore, on 15 April, Tigo held night vigil for all staff in order to commemorate the lives lost.  

Tigo 100 day campaign dubbed ‘The 100 Days of Love’ is a continuation of the commemoration activities of previous years that included providing shelter to widows, supporting orphanages and giving livestock to survivors across the country.

Before the donation of cattle, the Tigo team visited the Kizuguro Genocide Memorial to pay their respects to the over 11,000 innocent people buried there.

Speaking after handing over the donation, Tigo Rwanda Chief Finance Officer, Yaw Frimpong said: “Tigo started the 100 Days of Love campaign to commemorate the lives lost in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi; it is in this vein that we travelled here to handover these cows to the three families. As a company, Tigo understands that sustainable development and economic self-reliance can only occur when everyone is empowered and supported”.

After the handover the Vice Mayor of Gatsibo District in charge of social affairs and development, Yvette Dusenge, commented: “This donation should be an example to others. We are pleased that this donation came about after discussions between Tigo, district authorities and the survivors themselves. We are very thankful for this donation of cattle because it is in tandem with the Government of Rwanda’s One Cow per Family initiative”.

Two of the beneficiaries, namely Chantal Cyamuresire, aged 23, and Innocent Niyonzima, aged 30’, were overjoyed by the donation from Tigo Rwanda.

“I am very thankful that you thought of me”, Cyamuresire told the Tigo team. “There is nothing I can give back to you except ask God to continue blessing you all”, she said.

Commenting on how the cow that he was given will change his life for the better, Niyonzima, who lost his parents and two siblings in the Genocide, said that his farm would produce a bigger harvest because of the manure he will use while the milk the cow produced will provide nutrition and income for his young family.

   

#100DaysOfLove Activities

7^th April: Tigo Rwanda started its 100 days series of activities with as theme ‘The 100 Days of Love’

April 9^th: Tigo Staff joins the rest of the country in the Walk to Remember and night of vigil at Amahoro Stadium.

April 15^th: The management and staff of Tigo Rwanda, along with by Hon. Minister Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Youth& ICT,  gathered at the Tigo Headquarters in Muhima for a night vigil where the movie “Kinyarwanda” was screened.

May 5^th: Tigo Rwanda donated a solar power system to the Bisesero Genocide memorial worth Frw 4.5 million, which includes lighting arresters, solar panels, wiring, and installation costs to light the nine separate buildings that make up the Bisesero Genocide Memorial.