KIREHE, Rwanda, 20 March 2008 (LWI) - A community water project inaugurated in Rwanda's eastern district of Kirehe, offers a new model of cooperation between religious communities and public and private sectors in pursuit of human development and peace.
"This is a historic milestone for interfaith cooperation and public and private partnerships in Africa," remarked Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and president of the Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA) at the project's inauguration on 19 March 2008.
The IFAPA project will bring safe, clean, drinking water to up to 21,600 people in the vicinity of Gatore in Kirehe district. Nestlé SA, provided financial and technical support for the project. The LWF Department for World Service (DWS) program in Rwanda coordinates the implementation of the project, which is managed by the Inter-Faith Commission of Rwanda. A local water users' committee, which includes representatives from all major religious communities in the area, oversees the day-to-day administration.
Rwanda's Minister for Water, Environment and Natural Resources Mr Bikoro Munyanganizi, highlighted the need for commitment, partnership and good management of resources, as he officially inaugurated the project together with Noko and Mr Niels Christiansen, Global Vice President of Public Affairs for the Nestlé group.
"The provision of clean drinking water to such a large number of people fits clearly within Nestlé's fundamental aim of making investments that have lasting benefits to society," said Christiansen. He expressed his appreciation for the partnership "in this critical venture to create sustainable water solutions for communities in Africa."
For Noko, the Gatore community water project "is a tangible result of IFAPA's work to encourage practical cooperation among African religious leaders and communities across the continent to promote peace and prevent conflict in Africa." It also addresses one of the key human development needs in Africa-universal access to safe water-and the special burden that the lack of access to safe water places on women and children.
"Poverty and under-development in Africa provide fertile ground for conflict, but religious leaders working together can play a crucial role in promoting both development and peace in this continent," Noko added.
"This project signifies more than bringing water to those who lacked it before," said Sheikh Yussuf Bizuru, grand imam of Rwanda's Eastern Province, deputizing for the Mufti of Rwanda, Sheikh Saleh Habimana. "It offers to the rest of Africa and the world a model of harmonious interfaith cooperation for development," he said.
Women are well represented on the water users' committee and will play a key role in ensuring community ownership and good management of the project. "We are committed to managing the water system. When [it] has a problem we are responsible to make sure it is maintained," said Marie Jeanne Uwanyirigira, as she received a certificate recognizing her role on the water committee.
The provision of the piped water services in Gatore supplements existing water infrastructure and contributes to efforts to ensure access to water and sanitation facilities for all in the region. This will have a significant positive impact on health, hygiene and economic output in Kirehe. Supplying water directly to schools will greatly reduce the burden on children and mothers, who can spend up to 12 hours collecting the minimum of 60 liters a family needs for domestic use every day.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
