On Friday, December 15th, the Rotary Club of Mgahinga donated Christmas gifts to the Batwa communities of Rukeri village, Gitenderi Parish, Nyarusiza sub-county in Kisoro district. The Batwa received 100 kgs of posho, 25 kgs of rice, a box of soap, and bundles of clothes, including shoes, jackets, trousers, shirts, and T-shirts.
While addressing the Batwa, Niyongaba Laban, the chairperson of the Mgahinga Rotary Club, mentioned that all the distributed commodities were sourced from philanthropists such as Rotary Club International, Gorilla Highlands Coffee, DFCU Bank, among others. Laban revealed that, following last year’s interaction with the Batwa, they set an agenda to ensure the Batwa could celebrate Christmas and other important days despite societal challenges. He also announced that the Batwa would receive two goats on Monday from the Rotary Club to enhance and make their celebrations even more enjoyable.
Laban cautioned the Batwa not to consume all the commodities recklessly but to share among themselves and save some for Christmas day. He added that the Rotary Club, having observed the challenging conditions and school dropouts among the Batwa, would return early next year in 2024 to provide books and other scholastic materials to support the Batwa in sustaining their education.
Serutoki Stephen, the chairperson of the Batwa communities, expressed gratitude to the Rotary Club of Mgahinga and its leader, Niyongabo Laban, for leading the charitable work. Other beneficiaries from the Batwa communities also thanked the Rotary Club of Mgahinga and appealed to them to continue extending such help.
Despite the efforts made by the Rotary Club of Mgahinga, Serutoki Stephen reminded the rotary group to keep attracting other philanthropists to support their charity. He emphasized that since their eviction from their ancestral lands in the forests, the Batwa have faced various challenges, including famine and sickness.
