Mbazi Sector is located in the Nyamagabe area, it is challenging to access because of its rough roads and hilly terrain. Despite having a sizable population, the area has never had access to water.
SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda through the direct family empowerment program inaugurated a 5.8 km clean water pipeline in the Mbazi sector of Nyamagabe District, as part of the Seruka Project to provide support to 4,000 residents living in the area.
The Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development in Nyamagabe, Thadee Habimana, expressed gratitude to SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda to support people of the Mbazi Sector.
The Mayor stated that while half of the population in Nyamagabe has access to clean water, the people of Mbazi have been deprived of it.
"We are thrilled to inaugurate this very important project to set up a water plant that will provide access to clean water for the communities in Mbazi. It has been a long journey, but with commitments from SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda, we have made it. We aim to ensure that all residents have access to clean water by 2027.
We urge residents to make good use of these facilities to promote hygiene and sanitation," said Thadee.
The National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda, Jean Bosco Kwizera, stated that SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda had constructed a clean water pipeline to assist children living in the Mbazi area.
Jean Bosco said, "SOS Children’s Villages’ mission is to build families for children in need. We help them to shape their futures and we share the development of their communities. That is why we constructed this clean water pipeline."
He explained that SOS Children’s Villages understands the hardship of children who miss school because they have to travel long distances to find water.
“One way to shape the future of our children is ensuring they have access to education through attending school. As parents or guardians, our goal is to provide them with every opportunity to pursue an education,” Jean Bosco stated.
According to Mugemangango François, 56, a resident of Butare village, Ngara Cell in Mbazi Sector of Kirehe District, since his childhood, the only source of water in the downhill of Mbazi which he said was a challenging issue given that using unclean water from the river affected their health.
"My children often fell sick due to the use of unclean water from the river.
I made sure that before I go to work, there are at least 2 gallons of water at home. But now that we have clean water, my children will have good health," he said.
Since 2005, SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda launched Direct Family Empowerment Program. This community empowerment initiative aims to help vulnerable families enhance their ability to protect and care for their children.
The program seeks to prevent family separation, which is a leading cause of child abandonment, and to bolster safety nets for at-risk children and their families within the community. Through various projects and programs, we provide support to vulnerable families by offering positive parenting skills and promoting economic empowerment.