Miss Rwanda Ingabire Grace speaking to the media
2021 reigning Miss Rwanda Grace Ingabire in partnership with African Improved Food have launched a pig project to support 1,900 volunteers who risk their lives everyday as community health workers to save lives.
The project kicked off in Rwamagana district, where by health workers grouped in 3 cooperatives were given 6 pigs, their drugs and food for it to succeed .
The aim of the project is to support and recognize the efforts of community health volunteers to generate income to support their families as token of appreciation.
Speaking to the press, AIF country manager Prosper Ndayiragije revealed that, community workers are selfless and need to be appreciated the work they do to save lives.
“Community Health Workers are selfless, their work goes unrecognized yet the result of what they have been doing is undeniable. This initiative is a way for us to recognize and support them but also ensure that they grow from experience,” says AIF country manager, Prosper Ndayiragije.
Though they started with 3 cooperatives but the plan of distribution of pigs, its food and medicine will reach out to 15 cooperatives in the area of Rwamagana district.
Community health workers are volunteers who sensitize communities on issues like childbirth, nutrition, breastfeeding and many more sensitive topics that have been vital to reducing issues such as giving birth at home.
Pig farming in Rwanda has been growing progressively with the number of pigs increasing by 76% in the last five years to over 1.7 million, according to statistics from the ministry of Agriculture and Animal resources (MINAGRI).
As the Community Health Workers were given the pigs, they expressed their gratitude for the project and vowed to follow the distribution plan to ensure that other cooperatives can also benefit from the project.
‘Embarking on community-centric projects that can impact others is what I signed up for when I was crowned Miss Rwanda 2021. I thank Africa Improved Foods for making this possible and making me a part of this initiative. I look forward to working with them on more projects.’ said Miss Rwanda 2021 – Ingabire Grace.
