USAID grants US $2 million for genocide orphans, flood victims

The USAID assistant administrator for democracy, conflict and humanitarian assistance, Roger Winter, has announced an increase in planned aid to Rwanda by almost US $2.8 million, the US aid agency reported. He was speaking during a four-day visit to Rwanda, which ended on Tuesday.

The increase includes $2 million to enable 6,000 genocide orphans to continue their education for two years. It will also include $350,000 for dairy projects, $363,000 for a programme to mitigate sexual gender-based violence, and $50,000 in disaster relief to offset the effects of recent flooding in the country.

Heavy rains from April to early May caused some 63 deaths and left hundreds of people homeless in Rwanda. In a report for this period, FEWS NET - the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning System - identified the most affected prefectures as Cyangugu, Kibuye, Byumba, Kigali Rurale and Kigali Ville. The rains damaged homes and infrastructure across the country, FEWS reported at the time, but added that food security remained good at the national level.

It said that since another El Nino phenomenon was expected by September-October, preventive maintenance and repairs to damaged infrastructure were needed urgently.

So far this year, the agency has given the country $27 million in grants. Winter said that since 1994, USAID had provided at least $80 million in development aid and at least $480 million in humanitarian relief. Winter has been a regular visitor to Rwanda for 20 years. He was executive director for the US Committee for Refugees during the 1994 genocide.

During this visit, he went to Musaza in Rusomo Prefecture, toured several agricultural cooperatives and associations in Ruhengeri (including Cooperative pour le developpement agricole, elevage et foresterie), and met farmers. He also visited Gikondo Prison, and met several government officials to discuss democracy, good government and judicial reform.