Rwanda : PAIGELAC promotes education, frees fishers from chains of illiteracy

Beatrice Kabanyiginya, fisherwoman who learnt reading, writing and counting

Fishers at Bugesera district lakes thank PAIGELAC for enabling them learn how to read, write and count; a program they testify to be their liberation.

Beatrice Kabanyiginya, a fisherwoman from Biharagu cell in near Cyohoha Lake in Kamabuye sector, says she was always ashamed of the fact that she did not know how to read and write.

“I did not know how to make good use of the lake before but now I know because I can read and write,” explains Kabanyiginya.

PAIGELAC (The inland lakes integrated development and management support project) aims at improving the incomes of actors in the fishery sub sector in a sustainable manner.

PAIGELAC trained the fishers with an aim of improving their social standards of living and to equip them with fishing skills, explains Jean Claude Ndorimana in charge of fisheries at PAIGELAC.

Ndorimana adds: “Training fishers will help them know the rules and regulations of fishing and to work with financial institutions for sustainable development.”

Apart from Bugesera district, PAIGELAC supported 779 adults in Burera, Rubavu, and Rusizi and Gicumbi districts of eastern province to learn how to read and write where 629 learnt so quickly.

According to the research, Bugesera district has the biggest number of adults who know how to read and write yet it comes first in the program of training its illiterate residents.

Out of 36000 residents that did not know how to read or write in 2007, only 15.800 are remaining though the actual number found out during the last general census will be confirmed in December 2012.