Kamonyi: Needy Families Enjoy New Life as They Got Decent Residential Houses

Christian Actions for Reconciliation and Social Assistance (CARSA) exists to assist those in need and to promote integral holistic development calls for not remaining indifferent to the needs of others. Through the generous partnership of CARSA and Compelled By Love (CBL), CARSA erected modern shelters for vulnerable families from Mugina Sector of Kamonyi district. The families were identified by the local authorities and proposed to CARSA due to its dire need for healthy and decent housing.

One of those families that donated a house, is Nkurayija Alphonse family. Nkurayija is an old man of 77 years old with 5 children, he has a corporeal disability caused by his chronic sickness and impeding medical treatment. He said the past was critical for their lives as they used to live in an old, small house with roof shingles. His children shared a single bed, and during the rainy season, it was hard for both parents and their five children, they were full of fear of becoming dead as the house was prone to erosion.

“My family survives on piecework as I can’t do anything. But before we were provided with a new house, my wife could not concentrate on her work, every time it rained, she had to stop work and hastily run home to check if the house had not collapsed on me”, said Nkurayija Alphonse.

“It was a huge problem when it rained as we couldn’t manage to sleep, and life was in danger. My wife and children used to harvest rainwater inside the house using everything like pans and buckets to reduce the overflow of water in the house,” he added.

This is no longer the case as this family’s new house was built after Nkurayija his family was built a 3-bedroom new modern shelter with all basic home materials such as modern chairs and a table in the saloon, a bed with mosquito net, a kitchen, water, an outside water tank, electricity, a kitchen garden and toilet outside among others.

The house was built using compressed soil bricks, a wall house covered by a mixture of cement and sand, a house covered with dirt floors with cement, exterior perimeter walls with cement to prevent erosion, soft paints, and ceilings installed in the rooms helping to keep out the cold, damp air, etc.

As it is said in Kinyarwanda, ‘Inzu ni icyo uyiririyemo’ (the house value is what it contains), in addition, CARSA offered to the family home-friendly animals including 2 goats, 10 kitchens, and 5 rabbits to raise them, obtain manure from the ruminants’ droppings to fertilize their crop gardens so they can grow enough food to feed their families. Once the livestock have multiplied in number, families will earn additional income from the sale of offspring and surplus manure.

Apart from family stability, the new house opened the door to improved health and academic performance for children as young children got full education sponsorship in the same organization and Nkurayija was also supported to get advanced medical treatment and a wheelchair to enable him to move around his home. Together with Nkurayija’s family, CARSA reiterates its thanks to Compelled By Love (CBL) for being the driving force behind this achievement, and for their frank and close collaboration.

Without ever wanting to create dependency, CARSA continues touching vulnerable people’s lives. May this same desire to be men and women for others be our daily prayer. The house built for Nkurayija’s family and other beneficiaries is just one step. There is still a long way to go, but we are sure that CBL’s gesture has opened new horizons for them and that the resilience and humaneness they have acquired from CARSA and CBL will carry them far.

CBL and CARSA officials at Alphonse’s house

CBL and CARSA officials at Alphonse’s house

CARSA’s Executive Director alongside with Alphonse

CBL and CARSA officials at Alphonse’s house. the house was built by in partnership by CARSA and CBL

CBL and CARSA officials at Gilbert’s home. The house in the background was also build by CARSA and CBL.

CBL’s officials was hugging Gilbert .

CBL and CARSA officials at Gilbert’s home.