Ngororero Residents receive over 1500 Girinka cows annually

Minister Agnes Karibata talking to the beneficiaries about taking good care of the cows

 Ngororero district authorities say that the famous Girinka Munyarwanda (one cow per family) program has donated over 1500 cattle to Ngororero residents each year since its inception.

The Girinka program was initiated by the government in 2006 as a home grown solution to fight poverty and malnutrition among vulnerable residents through donating livestock.

The Girinka Program mainly gets funds from the government of Rwanda, however, other supporters step in to help by donating cows and money while other organisations and individuals either contribute or make pledges which get gradually recovered by the Ministry of Agriculture Budget

The principal budget is from Rwanda government. This the government sent funds amounting to Rfw1,628,344,150 for purchase of 4019 heifers, vaccinations and insemination services for each of the 30 districts.

According to Ngororero district Mayor Gideon Rubonezam, Girinka has improved the beneficiaries’ standards of living in the last seven years.

On October 18,2013, the Minister of Agriculture, Agnes Karibata presided over yet again another ceremony to donate the ten more cows to the residents of the district.

“Take good care of the cows for better benefits,” advised the Minister of Agriculture, at the ceremony.

Some of the cows that were given to the residents

The number of cows to exchange hands in the district is expected to increase since the pioneer beneficiaries started donating the calves to the next needy families.

Ngororero Residents receive over 1500 Girinka cows annually