The livestock include goats and pigs
The Bank of Kigali (BK) PLC in collaboration with the National Union of Disability Organisations in Rwanda (NUDOR) has donated 300 domestic animals to disabled and vulnerable citizens affected by COVID-19 pandemic.
The donations (including goats and pigs) worth Rwf15Million were handed to beneficiaries in Gicumbi district, this February 4, to benefit and improve the lives of citizens in ten sectors.
The support comes days after the bank last week offered health insurance coverage for at least 7,000 residents of Kimisagara sector in Kigali city.
These events are part of the ongoing BK Social Corporate Responsibility (CSR) in which the bank has pooled over Rwf 1 Billion (equivalent to 1% profits) to support the Rwandan community.
BK has outlined its CSR activities this year, which range from health, education, innovation and environmental protection aimed at giving back to the community but also transforming lives to ensure a sustainable clientele.
Aloys Nshimiyimana, a visually impaired beneficiary living in Nyarutarama cell, Byumba sector said that by the time of receiving the BK support, the COVID-19 pandemic had devastated his welfare leaving him with almost no hope.
“The pandemic caught us off guard and we spent almost everything we had to survive. It has been hard to survive without stable income but now that Bank of Kigali has supported us, I am sure I will be able to rear the animals to get fertilizers and sell the off- springs to earn a living,” Nshimiyimana said.
Like many other beneficiaries, Nshimiyimana said that the fact that corporate companies like BK are able to reach out to the disabled, is a game changer and hope for the future especially that in the past most disabled persons were neglected.
Dominique Bizimana, the President of NUDOR said that the organization’s new partnership with BK is one that will bring positive change for its members.
“The support from the Bank of Kigali is highly valued among our members because the pandemic had stripped them of incomes and welfare. These animals, if taken good care of, will enable beneficiaries to improve their welfare,” Bizimana said.
Emmanuel Nkusi, BK Group Plc Head of Corporate Affairs said the bank has committed to financially transform lives of Rwandans and in this case with a focus on citizens who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The bank (BK) believes that persons with disabilities were heavily affected by the pandemic on top of their limited access to services including financial ones, thus the need to support them more than any other person in society,” Nkusi said.
Gicumbi district Vice Mayor in-charge of Economic affairs, Parfaite Uwera said that out of over 540,000 disabled persons; the district has 4,745 disabled persons (as of a census done in 2002) but this figure could have increased pending a detailed census underway.
For this reason, Uwera said that the Bank support will enable the district to address some of the challenges that this category of society faces.
