By Atula Owade

The Rotary Resource Center Kimonyi “JYAMBERE” is a testament to how small beginnings can lead to big impacts. Located in the small village of Kimonyi in Musanze District, Northern Rwanda, this community is surrounded by large, grey volcanic boulders that shape its rugged terrain—remnants of ancient lava flows from the nearby Virunga Mountains.

While Kimonyi is a close-knit and self-supporting community, it faces tough environmental challenges, and any external support can create significant change. The Rotary Resource Center “JYAMBERE” is one such support system. During the Annual Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga Retreat, held in Musanze District on August 23rd and 24th, 2024, we visited Kimonyi and toured the resource center, one of the ongoing projects championed by the Rotary Club of Musanze Murera (RCMM).

Members of the Rotary Club of Musanze Murera led a brief tour of the budding resource center for members of RCKV, alongside members of the Rotaract Club of the University of Rwanda. This helped both Rotarians and Rotaractors appreciate the project’s history and future potential.

Today, the resource center offers several free services, including an early childhood education center and access to safe drinking water for the community. Remarkably, it all began with just seven rabbits. Our host, Rtn. DISC PADG Jean D’Amour Manirere, explained that in 2018, members of the Rotary Club of Musanze Murera met with children from Birira Primary School in the Kimonyi sector. These children were in severe need of supplies. For many, their parents could not afford basic items such as books, pens, and uniforms.

The Rotarians decided to help and came up with a community project to provide parents and children with a continuous source of income. That’s how the idea of using rabbits as an economic tool was born. The club bought rabbits for the children, and when the rabbits matured, they were passed on to other children, ensuring that each family benefited. Within two years, there were over 100 rabbits, which the children sold to purchase school supplies. Later, parents were supported in raising sheep under the Guardian Project.

As the children grew, so did their needs. The club then provided sheep, which fetched a higher price in the market, generating more income. What began with a few rabbits, like magic, transformed into the Kimonyi Resource Center.

The center is situated on a 0.37-hectare plot of land generously donated by Dr. Jean D’Amour Manirere, a lecturer at the University of Rwanda and a member of RC Musanze Murera. Following this donation, the club raised funds from the Rotary Foundation, with support from RC Boulder Valley (USA) and RC Bideford Bridge (UK), to transform the rocky terrain into a valuable community asset. Additional support was provided by Engineers Without Borders (University of Colorado Boulder) and student volunteers from the University of Rwanda’s “HingÂmafaranga Club,” who helped build the physical infrastructure.

The center now includes:

  • An Early Childhood Education Center with 64 learners,
  • A computer literacy section with computers and projectors,
  • A tailoring training section, where a recent batch of 24 graduates found employment at a new garment factory in Musanze Industrial Park,
  • A 50,000-liter rainwater collection system providing safe drinking water to Kimonyi residents.

All these facilities and services are offered free of charge to the community. And this is just the beginning. As the Rotary Resource Center Kimonyi “JYAMBERE” grows, so will the number of benefits it provides to the community.

During the tour, members of the Rotary Club of Kigali Virunga donated new uniforms to the children at the ECD Unit. Additionally, they pledged ongoing support for the Rotary Club of Musanze Murera as it continues to develop the center. Speaking on behalf of RCKV, President Duniah commended Rtn. Manirere for the remarkable efforts RCMM is making to transform lives in Kimonyi. She concluded by saying, “Thank you for hosting us today. We are deeply encouraged by the great work the Rotary Club of Musanze Murera is doing for this community, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds.”