Japan vows Rwf234m to develop rural roads in Rwanda, CORE trains youths on road repair

Japan has announced a grant of $260,736 (about Rwf234 million) for Community Road Empowerment (CORE) aimed upgrading feeder roads.

A Japanese not-for-profit organization named CORE trains Rwandan youth on road repair and maintenance as it seeks to boost job opportunities and achieve sustainable development. The Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, Takayuki Miyashita together with Kei Nakajima, the Project Manager of CORE, signed the grant on February 25.

According to The New Times, this is the second phase of the grant. The officials noted that under the first phase, the organization trained 168 youths in Do-nou – a Japanese technology involving packing appropriate soils in bags, then placing them in a systematic way as earth reinforcement.

“In its first phase CORE Rwanda was successful in spreading its Do-nou technology in four districts namely Gakenke, Rulindo, Nyamasheke and Rusizi,” Kei Nakajima said.

The source also reported that there are still some rural areas that have poor roads, which make it hard for the farmers to access the markets for their produce. Hence, this Japan-funded project is considered as a timely response to this challenge.

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