Support to Rural Local Governance

Results achieved by the end of the project (June 2012) include: According to the evaluation of Rwanda’s Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (2007 2011) the proportion of the population living in poverty in Nyaruguru district decreased from 57% (2007) to 38% (2011). Malnutrition declined by 38% during the same period. The PAGOR project’s capacity-building approach in both districts will be replicated throughout the 30 districts of Rwanda. Elements of the approach have been adopted in Rwanda’s national capacity-building strategy. In the capacity-building component 12 000 elected officials personnel from districts and NGOs and citizens were trained in planning management and citizen engagement. In both districts for example 8 272 people (including 3 242 women) received training regarding their rights. Thanks to this training village land disputes decreased by 80%. When the project started up civil-society organizations (CSOs) said they were not consulted in planning processes. In 2011 districts consulted all CSOs through forums and even national institutions and organizations. With the “support to development sub projects” component the project helped to facilitate access to health drinking water and education services for 61 500 people to improve the living conditions of 26 000 people and to improve the socio economic development conditions of 31 000 people. For example the construction of the Ngera health centre in Nyaruguru district enabled 15 922 people to benefit from health services within an average radius of less than 4 km. The rehabilitation of the drinking water supply system in Ruramba Nyaruguru district enabled 2 100 people who previously used water from streams to obtain their supply of drinking water less than 100 metres from where they live.