Residents of the Mayengo site located in the commune and province of Rumonge face many challenges, namely: the lack of arable land, the lack of electricity as well as the absence of the market. This precarious situation makes their life unstable. Report
Laurent Hakizimana, one of the occupants of the Mayengo site, deplores that sometimes, he can return empty-handed. As a result, his children do not find anything to put under their teeth.
It is Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at 10 a.m. The sun is shining brightly as we arrive at the Mayengo site, located in the Kigwena area, Rumonge commune and province. This site has been hosting victims of the Nyaruhongoka and Gitaza floods and landslides since 2018. It is strategically located on the Rumonge-Nyanza-Lac road, about 500 meters from the Kigwena forest reserve, also known as Gitamba. As we explore, we meet locals at the site. As we talk to them, they tell us about their daily lives and reveal that their lives were far from easy.
Jeanne Niciteretse, a municipal councilor elected to represent the Mayengo residents, expressed their indignation at the deplorable living conditions. “We lack arable land, electricity, a market and other resources that could help us develop.”
She added: “We arrived here in 2018. We were promised arable land and a market, but to date, none of this has materialized,” laments Ms. Jeanne. “We only received houses measuring 15 meters by 20, with three bedrooms and a living room. Although we appreciate these constructions, we are once again asking for help from the authorities and organizations that supported us at the beginning.” Top of form Bottom of form
Lack of arable land, a problem at the heart of concerns
The difficulty of feeding a large family without land to cultivate is a worrying problem. Even those who aspire to work for others face difficulties because their daily salary amounts to 4,000 BIF. With the high cost of food, such as flour at 2,000 BIF per kilo, families can only afford to eat once a day, laments Ms. Jeanne.
Pascasie Minani also highlights the complications of renting land. “Even if you manage to get money together to rent a field, sometimes the owners accumulate the fees of several people for a single plot, which creates many problems.”
In response to this situation, Leonard Niyonsaba, governor of Rumonge province, suggests that people form cooperatives and go to the commune to present their projects. The governor says that it is easier to help those who join cooperatives. In addition, some landowners have unused arable land. The people grouped together can discuss the advantages reserved for the owner; and the latter can allow them to access this arable land.
Electricity shortage, a scourge that handicaps daily life
Laurent Hakizimana, a welder by profession, expresses his anger at the critical situation. “Even though I am a master of my trade, it is extremely difficult to work without electricity and my own tools,” he says. “I have to make do with finding work from those who have them, but sometimes I spend the whole day without getting anything. As a result, I go home empty-handed and that day, my children do not find anything to eat.”
Serge Ndabarahiye underlines the importance of electricity for various economic activities. “We first need electricity so that the trades that depend on energy, such as welding, hair salons or cafeterias can operate,” he explains. The poles and the transformer are already installed but the absence of electricity remains a major problem. This shortage leads to serious consequences, in particular, darkness which pushes some young people to bad practices, in particular prostitution, this causes unwanted pregnancies,” he adds.
To address this situation, the governor of Rumonge province has announced his intention to discuss with the electricity officials of the province in order to resolve this problem. He hopes that this will guarantee an electricity supply that will not only improve nighttime security but also support the development activities needed for this site.
Instability of education
The education of young people is threatened by economic precariousness, notes Mr. Hakizimana. This father of eight children underlines the difficulty of offering quality education in a context of poverty. Finding notebooks, uniforms, pens and other school supplies is a real challenge.
He says that in his family, only three of his eight children are in school. “Their future is in jeopardy,” he says. Mr. Hakizimana also deplores a decline in discipline among young people. According to him, even the small amounts of 1,000 FBu offered to some girls can keep them away from school, encouraging them to spend the day elsewhere. This can push young people into sexual vagrancy and school dropouts. He says that students who leave school are divided between those who stay at home and those who try to find other activities outside the Mayengo site.
It should be recalled that the inhabitants of this site were severely affected by floods and landslides that occurred in 2015, in the commune of Muhuta, specifically in Gitaza and Nyaruhongoka. These families were moved to this site in 2018.
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