One Dollar Complex has been completed ahead of the 20th National Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. File.
The One Dollar Complex has at long last been
handed over to its beneficiaries, Association of Student Survivors of
the Genocide commonly known by its French acronym AERG.The handover of the Rwf1.3 billion complex, constructed by Murenzi Supply Company, is supposed to accommodate Genocide orphans.
Speaking to The New Times, Constantine Rukundo, president of AERG, commended government and Rwandans, including compatriots in the Diaspora, for the support.
“We have 600 homeless students, but, unfortunately, they can’t all be accommodated in the complex so we have to select 190 who are the neediest,” said Rukundo.
Donatien Murenzi, the director general of Murenzi Supply Company, said he felt relief after completing the works.
He thanked government for the support rendered to the constractor throughout the construction, which, to the chagrin of many, was marred by delays over money wrangles.
The One Dollar Complex is situated in the upscale Kagugu neighbourhood in Gasabo District.
It is a four-storey building that was constructed with contributions from the One Dollar Campaign, which was launched in 2009 by Rwandans in Diaspora, before government took over the fundraising campaign.
The hostel has capacity to accommodate 192 people. It is understood that each beneficiary will be accommodated in the hostel until they complete their studies and get jobs, before moving out to make way for other orphans.
No more anxiety
Augustine Kampayana, the chairperson of the project board, said they were satisfied with the work done.
“We inspected the premises and asked Murenzi to complete the remaining work in two weeks. Now we are here; it has been accomplished. The orphans are to come in soon and we will be checking on some other defects if any, for which the constructors are ready to fix,” he said.
Although there were some delays in completion of the project that was attributed to poor management and misunderstandings among the parties involved, Kampayana suggests that should be in the past now that the most important part of the deal has been accomplished.
The One Dollar Complex is a product of a campaign by Rwandans in the Diaspora who sought to raise funds to construct shelter for children of Genocide victims who are in school.
The campaign was launched on April 4, 2009, by the Rwanda Diaspora Global Network. It targeted to collect Rwf1.5 billion.
The project was later embraced by government institutions, NGOs, the private sector, religious bodies, civil society, the public and well-wishers.
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