Kagame Leads Rwanda in Monthly Cleaning Exercise, Reports KT Press

KIGALI, Rwanda, Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Paul Kagame on Saturday August 30 joined residents of Cyeru village, on the outskirts of Rwanda's capital Kigali, to dig a 16KM trench through which water will be extended to over 2000 people.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140902/141837

He rolled sleeves and dug into the mud with a hoe for an hour. After digging, he told the sweaty, but cheerful residents, that progress Rwanda has achieved is a result of their "willingness to move forward and face our challenges."

Kagame commended the citizens for being resilient and forging a new and progressive life after the 1994 tragedy. 

He however said all the results are hinged against good leadership. "The foundation of all that we do is good governance, security and the ability to work together to fulfill our needs and potential," Kagame said.

He said the next generation should never look back, but move forward. "I see children here. They are lucky not to have lived our tragic history. Let us make sure they never do."

Kagame attends Umuganda regularly. Umuganda, meaning contribution, is Rwanda's pre-colonial practice where villagers meet and solve challenges, such as building houses for homeless people, cleaning up streets and discussing solutions.

Umuganda has become a homegrown solution since it was institutionalized in 2007. Estimated contribution is valued at $60M through projects including; building schools, medical centers and hydro-electric plants.

The idea of Umuganda has been admired across the continent. A group of over 400 young African movers, including Rwanda's Michaella Rugwizangoga, are advocating for African countries to replicate the same practice. They have formed an organization called I-HOPE (International Hear the Oath for Progress and Education) that seeks to press for progress on the African continent.

The organization selects plausible practices in every country and advocates they be replicated in other countries. That's how Umuganda from Rwanda was selected. Rugwizangoga explains, "We go to an African country, learn their best practices and the year after what we have learnt from a particular country is applied across the continent."

Rwandan peacekeepers stationed in 8 countries have introduced the practice, organizing communities to clean their communities, construct schools, and repair medical centers or plant trees. Kagame said communities should work together to "build the things we need." "No one else will do it for us."

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SOURCE KT Press