Contact Person: Enrico Mantero; Telephone Number: +39 3383991167; E-mail: info@komerarwanda.org;
Website: www.komerarwanda.org
Xlestrade met Enrico Mantero, actual president of the Association Komera Rwanda Onlus from Genova.
Komera Rwanda Onlus was officially born in 2005 as a consequence of a great experience occurred in Rwanda by a group of Italian families in 2004, in the Gatare village, in the south east of the country. The experience followed the invitation of Sister Rosa, nun of the Figlie del Divino Zelo’ congregation, that hosts a women and children shelter in Genova and in Rwanda works to help disadvantaged people.
By becoming an Association, they wanted to help responding to local request and necessities, following sister’s directions.
The name of the Association, komera, means bravery in Kinya Rwanda language, and was chosen because frequently used by the locals as a greeting at the end of a workday or along the street.
The projects realized by Komera Rwanda Onlus include sanitarian and pediatric, agricultural, technical, and social actions.
One of their main objectives is to guarantee better health conditions for children younger than 5. On the field, they finance the activity and the education of doctors and nurses in the Gatare’s medical center. In 2009, was installed a photovoltaic system in the center, so it is actually independent from the unreliable electrical system.
In the meantime, in Gatare and in Butare, some agricultural projects took place.
Komera Rwanda Onlus, works in the city of Butare processing 4 main projects:
– A rehabilitative project that focuses on young people with disabilities, helped by Italian physiatrists and physiotherapists, in partnership with the ADAR Association (Association pour le Developpement des Aveugles ed des autres handicappés en Rwanda);
– An agricultural project that represents the chance to get a job for the local farmers;
– An educational project for poor and worthy young to support studies;
– A project that provides food for the most poor Butare hospital patients, in partnership with the local University. At this purpose, resources and help were given to cultivate the Hospital plots.
Enrico told us that the Association started a few years ago to work in Kenya as well in support of the Père de Foucauld’s sisters in the Mathare Valley village in Nairobi and in the refugee camp in Kakuma, in the north of the country. Finally, in Kenya they are financing the pediatric educational activities of the local staff in the medical dispensary in Kahawa, close to Nairobi, managed by the Elisabettan-Francescan’s sisters.
The whole activities, both in Rwanda and in Kenia, do not want to be limited to the simple aid, but they want to
provide self-sustainable projects, paying attention to a technical and professional education of the locals.
We asked about Komera Rwanda Onlus future projects.
The next objectives for the Gatare center are:
– The “Small surgery” project at the Santé Rugege center, that involves the execution of small surgery operations by Italian professionals and at the same time a theoretical and practical training for the medical staff;
– Restoration and reuse of an old and abandoned cultural center, to develop as a canteen for the students of the local high school, as a factory to sell food and beverages and as an integration and meeting center for the population;
– Starting of a new carpentry school for young people, to give them an opportunity of vocational training useful for their future;
– Building of small houses to host refugee families.
In Butare, next year will be developed a social and medical project at the Notre Dame de la Visitation Center for positive HIV people and their families.
In Italy the Association fulfills several events to know out “in person” the disadvantaged situation of poverty in Africa, to spread with real statements how valuable is the solidarity and for auto-financing the projects carried out.
With Komera Rwanda Onlus it is possible to volunteer in Italy and also on the field putting into practice one’s ability and availability. The main objective is to share the more expert competences with the necessity to create a valuable experience for the youngest.
Xlestrade asked for a message to leave to our friends.
Their message is a thought. In Enrico’s opinion, solidarity should not be an end in itself as charity is, but should give to whom beneficiate the possibility to act with their own hands. People education is fundamental as it should provide one’s knowledge and welcoming to value the dignity and the capacities of a person.
We want to thank Enrico and our friends of Komera Rwanda Onlus! Let’s go on, with brave, along our path!
Traduzione a cura di Monica Zambon
