At the occasion of the 15th commemoration of the Genocide, the staff of the Social Security Fund of Rwanda (SSFR) were given a lecture by senator Joseph Karemera, chairman of the Senate commission to fight genocide ideology.

The senator pointed out that poverty and ignorance were the main weapons used in perpetuating and executing genocide and that eradication of poverty among Rwandans was one way of wiping out the genocide ideology. “This country cannot settle when some genocide survivors are still trapped in poverty,” Karemera said.

Referring to the commemoration’s theme of “Hope,” the senator stressed that there is every reason to be hopeful, considering the achievements registered over the last fifteen years. “We have progressed tremendously; just look at our GDP growth, the reduction of aid dependency which is currently at 57%, the improved education system, etcetera.”

Senator Karemera urged SSFR employees, as some of tomorrow’s leaders, to do their part in supporting genocide survivors.

Which is exactly what they have been doing. Over the years, SSFR has been involved in activities to commemorate the genocide such as attending meetings and erecting billboards with messages related to the genocide commemoration. The institution also donates money for the construction of memorial centers; this year, Frw 10 million was given to the Nyanza memorial center.

“The money was used to write 5000 names of genocide survivors on stones,” Innocent Rurangwa, SSFR director of human resources and administration said.

The Fund is also helping genocide survivors to earn a living. For instance, it donated ten sewing machines to genocide orphans in Mpanga, Nyanza district, and employees visit the orphans every year to monitor their progress.

Furthermore, the institution supports an international federation of relatives of volleyball players and fans who died during genocide, with an annual contribution of Frw 3 million.

According to Rurangwa, the Fund also receives requests for support from widows and orphans who need help, and that the institution always tries to identify the best ways to help them. He however pointed out that SSFR specifically focuses on rural areas.

“Kigali is already covered by various institutions and companies, and genocide survivors in rural areas, especially orphans and widows, need help as well,” Rurangwa said.

Yet charity begins at home, and the Fund therefore also helps families of employees killed during the genocide.

“We met these families in 2002 to look at their most urgent needs and assist them to meet those; now, we will be considering other areas where we might be of help,” Rurangwa remarked.

SSFR also wants to keep the memory of these employees alive. “Once we shift to our new permanent offices, we will set up a small commemoration shrine where we will place the pictures of the 19 employees SSFR lost during genocide,” Rurangwa said.

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