Covid-19: Needy households get financial support to salvage livelihoods

By Elias Hakizimana.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rwanda has supported10,000 households with a total of 200 million Rwf to salvage their livelihoods.

In light with COVID-19 measures in place and in line with the VUP, each household received 20,000 Rwf to meet the most urgent need of their families including nutrition, medical insurance and recapitalization of small businesses among others.

A total of 200,000,000 Rwf was transferred to the recipients on 26 August 2020 via mobile money.Recipients of the financial support were selected from Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe, Nyarugenge, Kicukiro, Rubavu, Nyabihu and Gicumbi Districts.

Selection criteria

Benefiting households were selected in close collaboration with the district officials to avoid any duplication.Lorraine Muhimpundu, CRS’ Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Officer explained thatrecipients of cash donations are people in Ubudehe 1 and 2 categories, families with malnourished children and youths who lost jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

9000 are participants in USAID-funded Gikuriro Programimplemented by Catholic Relief service (CRS) and 1,000 are young people participating in HugukaDukoreAkaziKanoze project.

Joseph Icyoribera, 75, one of the beneficiaries from Kayonza District, Mukarange Sector used to practice Agriculture before he became physically disabled. This old man who is in the first category of Ubudehe appreciates the cash support from CRS.

“I appreciate the support; it reached me via Mobile money. I will use the money to renovate my kitchen andlatrine. My grandchild who used to help us lost a job during the lockdown,” Icyoribera said.

Colethe Mukabutera, 61, is another beneficiary from Kayonza cell, Gakurazo village in Mukarange sector. She participates in USAID-Gikuriro Program and is a member of a saving group, from which she borrowed and started a small business at her home. “My capital was exhausted during the lock down caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. With the cash support from CRS, I have re-stocked my business by buying five liters of cooking oil, bars of soap and some food stuffs for sale.” She said.

Pauline Dukundumuhire, sells tea in Kayonza Market, a business she started after getting a small loan from a saving group supported by Gikuriro Program. She said: “With the support I have received from CRS, I am going to buy more flasks to increase the amount of tea I supply and wheat flour to make donuts for my clients.”

Theoneste Twizeyimana used to offer transport services to his clients using his bicycle in Rutagara Village, Kibaruro cell, Kabarondo Sector, Kayonza District. “The financial support from CRS has come at the right time, I will use the money to pay mutuelle de Santé (health insurance). Before the pandemic I used to get a daily income of 2500-3000 Rwf, which is impossible today because of Covid-19 effects.” he said.

Solange Niyireba, 36, is a mother of two, a resident of Kabarondo sector whose business failed because of Covid-19 effects. After receiving 20,000 Rwf from CRS she revived her business in Kabarondo Market, where she sells dry maize and beans.

Speaking to the media, Jude Marie Banatte, CRS Country Representative in Rwanda said that the idea to support the vulnerable citizens with cash was to contribute to the government’s efforts in mitigating the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In the first phase, we provided cash transfer to 9,000 beneficiaries, and this round we have just provided another cash transfer to 10,000 beneficiaries. This is the CRS contribution to the Government of Rwanda’s emergency response to the Covid-19, contributing to social protection by helping the most vulnerable households affected by Covid-19.”

He said the first phase focused on the urban vulnerable people who depended on their daily wages while the second phase focused on both urban and rural beneficiaries.