[Rwanda] Access Bank pays health insurance to genocide survivors
Rwanda’s Access Bank has announced it will pay health insurance to 25 families of genocide survivors. According to Nadine Rutabayiro, Tteam member Women Banking at Access Bank the support of health insurance subscription was made to comfort and motivate genocide survivors and encourage them to strive towards self-reliance.
The 25 families consist of 175 members located in Kibaya village, an organized settlement for genocide survivors and most of the disabled ex-combatants in Kigali city. “Access Bank not only supports with money but also with financial advisory services. Our supports also include ideas where we encourage women not to rely on donations only, but striving for self-reliance,” said Rutabayiro.
Janet Nkubana, Managing Director of Gahaya Links, a businesswoman who was invited to share her experience and provide a mentoring session to her fellows on how to start small businesses, shared her experience of how she lived as refugee for several years until when she came back to Rwanda with five children without a husband to support her. She testified on how she struggled to afford all necessities of her family.
“I dared and asked a loan from Access Bank to start a small business of selling commodities. At that time, no other bank believed in me, but Access Bank did. They trusted me and gave me a loan. No money is little. Even one thousand can help you achieve more”.She said.
She advised her fellow women to recognize and profit from the special support given by Access Bank and committed to support them whenever they start small businesses as a cooperative. “Gather your ideas together about how to start savings groups to improve your welfare. Women would fear asking loans from banks. I assure that Access Bank is a bank for you to change your lives. Support would not prevent you from working, but motivate you,” She added.
Access Bank staff assured the beneficiaries that their support is beyond giving money but extended to advising clients in financial literacy and how to use their own strengths to change their living conditions. The bank also promised to ease the process of accessing loans when they form cooperatives.
Genevieve Uwamahoro, the Executive Secretary of Nyarugunga Sector, advised women present to start saving with the money they had dedicated on life insurance which was paid by Access Bank.
“Access Bank should have invested the money in other activities. Paying health insurance for you is a recognizable support. You should base on the support and work hard to improve your living standards. Go and sensitize other residents on the importance of health insurance and savings opportunities, Uwamahoro added.
