Chinese Embassy in Rwanda Supports Local Community Sports

Chinese embassy diplomats, staff, and the Rwanda China Alumni Organization (RCAO) community have joined the Nyarugunga residents to kick start a process of constructing new sports facilities to promote community exchange and tourism.

They were engaged in a special community cleaning exercise (Umuganda) to clear bushes and to level the ground where new tennis, basketball and volleyball courts will be constructed at the Rwanda Art Museum in Kamashashi cell, Ruhongore village.

The Umuganda exercise, held September 14, 2024, was attended by the Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, Wang Xuekun alongside Antoine Mutsinzi, the District Executive Administrator and the RCAO Alumni Chairman, Theoneste Higaniro.

Amb. Wang Xuekun (front) joined by community leaders to lay a foundation stone for the construction of new sports facilities at the Rwanda Art Museum

“We are impressed by the leadership of the government. You give the guidance, the leadership for the people to work towards development,” Xuekun said.

Xuekun stated that China is much impressed by Rwanda’s community engagement and having a partnership in which both countries share the common goal of creating happy lives for citizens.

“We are glad to be partners of this experience,” Xuekun said, hinting at the recent Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing, where both Heads of State (Xi and Kagame) met to deepen bilateral relations and create guidance for the existing cooperation, friendship for the future.

Amb. Wang Xuekun addressing Rwandan citizens and the Chinese community in Rwanda

The two leaders announced a commitment to elevate bilateral relations to the comprehensive strategy of the partnership.

“It is a new start that will lead us to a new future for the partnership in other areas, in other levels. So we are glad to start this new comprehensive strategy partnership,” Xuekun said.

DEA Mutsinzi said that the sports facilities will be constructed in the shortest period of time with the contribution of the Nyarugunga community which has a big population with only one tennis court, defunct swimming pool at the museum, where children practice karate sport and cultural dance lessons at the verandas around the facility.

The Only Tennis court at Rwanda Art Museum

The defunct swimming pool at the museum

Antoine Mutsinzi speaking to citizens and the Chinese community in Rwanda

“This project is huge because we need to renovate some of the play grounds we have and to add more facilities because the community here needs them to exercise,” Mutsinzi said.

With the extensive project, Mutsinzi said that once implemented, it will promote sports in the community and allow them to work and play at the same time, to live a healthy lifestyle that the city desires for its dwellers.

RCAO Alumni Chairman, Theoneste Higaniro

RCAO Alumni Chairman, Higaniro said that the organization is very proud to partner with the Chinese embassy in Rwanda to stimulate development activities and enhance the existing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

“Here in Rwanda, it is a privilege to have His Excellency (Chinese) ambassador and staff to come and contribute to the development of the country, not only in political cooperation but also physical activities on the ground,” Higaniro said.

Yvonne Mpingazima, a former journalist and RCAO alumni carries a banana stem log

RCAO is a Non-Governmental, Non-political Organization conceived in 2012 as a brainchild of former graduates who benefited from the Rwanda-China academic partnership, in which thousands of Rwandans have acquired advanced professional skills and studies from Chinese universities since 1980 through government funding and private partnerships.

The organization has a mission to contribute to a strong linkage between Rwanda and China; improve the Alumni member’s collaboration and information sharing; members’ knowledge and education; assist the community in health, education, well-being among others.

Currently, RCAO alumni has 1,000 members who graduated with Masters and PhDs from various Chinese Universities including Xiamen, Peking, Shanghai and Jiao Tong universities among others

Higaniro also commended the Chinese embassy for the support (financial, technical and advisory) that the organization has received for the last 12 years since the establishment of the RCAO in 2012.

Chinese embassy and RCAO at the rehabilitation of houses owned by Genocide survivors in Kicukiro

Both the Chinese embassy diplomats, staff, and the RCAO community have been involved in many county development activities such as renovating houses the 1994 Genocide survivors as the country commemorates the 30th anniversary of the tragedy.

The team has also previously been engaged in organizing job fairs for former alumni, planting trees, supporting children with disabilities, offering food items during the COVID-19 pandemic and paying health insurance coverage for over 1300 vulnerable citizens in Gasabo and Kicukiro districts.