Ivan Damascene Iradukunda
Kantarama Athanasie, 84 years old and a survivor of the Genocide against the Tutsi in April 1994, living in Kiramuruzi Sector, was handed a house worth 15,500,000 Frw. She expressed deep gratitude to the good leadership of the country.
The house was handed over on this 12th June 2026 by ADEPR Gatsibo Church, in partnership with residents and the District leadership, as part of the 32nd commemoration of the Tutsi Genocide for Christians of ADEPR in Gatsibo District. It wasn’t just the house Kantarama received, she was also given household items including a bed, chairs, and food, all worth 415,500 Frw.
Kantarama Athanasie thanked the bravery of the RPF Inkotanyi who pulled Rwanda and those being killed out of the abyss. Today, Rwanda and Rwandans live in peace. She also thanked ADEPR Church and its partners for remembering her and building her a beautiful house for her old age.
She said: “I thanked God who kept me alive so I could see these good things, because they killed me and left me for dead. Those who came to bury me found me still breathing and they rescued me, took care of me and I lived again. I greatly thank Paul Kagame who rescued us with the army he led, and I thank the believers and their partners who gave me this miracle house for my old age. We see all this because of good leadership that serves its people.”
The Vice Mayor of Gatsibo District in Charge of Social Affairs, Mukamana Marceline, says supporting vulnerable Genocide survivors restores their spirit and helps them not feel alone.
She said: “The house we inaugurated was built for an elderly woman in old age and who is vulnerable. It is a beautiful house with real value as you can see. It’s something we valued and it continues to restore the spirit of this old woman who was living in a dilapidated house. Now she feels she is not alone and has people close to her. We thank ADEPR Church, Gatsibo Branch, for this act.”
She added: “Another thing to note is that as we begin these 32nd Genocide commemoration activities, as District leadership together with IBUKA Committee and various partners, we agreed to put more effort into renovating the old houses of vulnerable Genocide survivors. We thank our partners for the collaboration in this work.”
Overall, to improve residents’ welfare in Gatsibo District, in this 2025–2026 fiscal year that is coming to an end, the district plans to have built 43 new houses for vulnerable people and renovated 970 others.
Daniel Ngendahimana
