Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Rao Hongwei(Right) and Didier Shema Maboko Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports (L) handing over a bag of food items, part of the Chinese Support to one of the Kung-Fu players
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Rwanda has donated food items worth Rwf24million to members of the Rwanda KungFu/Wushu Federation (RKWF) who have been affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in the country.
The food items were handed over to the representatives of the 23 local Kung-Fu/Wushu clubs by the Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, Rao Hongwei at a brief ceremony held in Kigali on Wednesday- May 20, 2020.
The 28.8 metric tons assortment of food supplies include maize flour, beans, sugar and rice, that will be distributed to 402 families of members of the Kung-Fu clubs across the country.
Chinese Ambassador Hongwei said that Kungfu is an important cultural bridge linking Rwanda and China and keeping the players healthy is a very important aspect to uphold during the Covid-19 crisis.
“I know many of you, in order to stay healthy, keep on practicing Kung Fu at home during COVID-19 lockdown and need to eat. This is commendable and perfectly in accordance with the philosophy of Chinese Wushu,” Hongwei said.
The ambassador stressed on the long standing bilateral relationship between the two countries over the years, in which the Government of China has been supporting the social and economic development of Rwanda, and special attention is paid to local vulnerable communities.
Hongwei said that he finds this relationship to be a brotherly one and stated that coronavirus has even brought the two nations closer than ever.
“The hearts of the Chinese people and the Rwandan people are connected closer to each other than ever and during this grave period, China joins hands with Rwandan brothers and sisters to fight against the coronavirus,” he said.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak on March 14, Rwanda received donations of medical supplies, from the Chinese Government, from Jack Ma Foundation and many other companies of China.
Rao Hongwei, Chinese Embassador to Rwanda
The ambassador said that China will never forget that Rwandan friends stood together with them and voiced firm solidarity to support Chinese people who were facing the most difficult days of managing the pandemic.
The Vice President of Rwanda KungFu/Wushu Federation (RKWF) also used the opportunity to thank the Chinese government for being able to listen to the plight and call for support during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, which affected the welfare of the players.
“We knocked on many doors of our sponsors and it is the Chinese embassy that opened doors for us. We had asked them to help us with Rwf5million or with any amount of money to feed the players but instead they gave us Rwf24million,” said Richard Makuza, Vice President RKWF.
Eriya Nzabonimana, a Kigali Wushu club coach said that Covid-19 affected many players and some needed emotional encouragement because they depended on daily incomes, which they were no longer able to get during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“That means some were going hungry and had no sources of income, but now with this food donation we are sure they can stay fit, healthy and practice with food on their table but also solve some of the family needs,” Nzabonimana said.
12-year-old Kungu-Fu player, Albert Turikumana has been depending on food provided by his family but today he is excited to go back with bags of food to put a smile on both of his parents in Rugando cell, Kigali city and win their moral support in playing the game.
According to the Kung-Fu federation, each of the benefiting Kung-Fu players will take home 30kgs of maize flour, 15kgs of rice, 15kgs of beans and 5kgs of sugar and the distribution will be brought to the home towns starting today towards end of next week.
