In the first week of August 2024, Aline, our Children in the Wilderness (CITW) & Community Manager for Wilderness Rwanda, and her assistant Damascene, met with all the Eco-Mentors who are active at the two schools we partner with in the Gishwati area: Gisunzu Primary School and Kinihira Secondary School. The Eco-Mentors are responsible for facilitating the weekly CITW Eco-Club lessons at their schools. At both schools the Eco-Clubs are very popular and attended by many learners!
During their meeting this August, it was time for some enjoyment on Lake Kivu and a good lunch whilst discussing the successful 2023-24 school year that was completed in July. All our Eco-Mentors are motivated for the new school year to start in September, and are looking forward to continue working together with CITW.
Later on in August, Aline and Damascene travelled to the Gishwati area once again; this time it was to support 819 people from five villages with Mutuelle health insurance. In Rwanda, ‘Mutuelle’ refers to Mutuelle de Santé, a community-based health insurance. It is a medical scheme especially developed to cover medical costs for poor families and vulnerable groups. A premium is paid once a year in July to ensure medical health care for people who are not covered via an employer or private scheme. Although the per-person fee for this community-based health care is not high, for the most disadvantaged people in Rwandan society, it is still too expensive to provide cover for their families.
Together with community leaders, the families in need were selected during July, and the payments for their Mutuelle organised. The leaders of the Nyarusuku, Nteko, Kinihira, Rwambeho and Ngunguru villages in Kigeyo and Mushonyi sectors in the Gishwati area provided a list of the households and their families most in need – 209 households consisting of 819 people – and they received health insurance worth USD2,000.
This contribution is very appreciated by, and valuable to, the people in the villages, and was made possible through the support of guests visiting Wilderness in Rwanda.
Aline and Damascene shared the Mutuelle receipts with proof of insurance with all the families; this receipt will ensure that the people will receive the medical care when needed.
During the Mutuelle distribution, Emmanuel Bizimana, who is in charge of health and hygiene in the Kigeyo Sector, and Audace Twizerimana, who is charge of health and hygiene at Mushonyi Sector, were present.
All the chiefs of the five villages were also present during the distribution. The representatives of the sectors and the villages thanked Wilderness for their support, and mentioned that they would like everyone to understand the value and impact that Wilderness makes in the community and at the schools in the area.
