All Nations Ministries, a local charity based in Plymouth, is planning to extend its programme of support and social welfare to Rwanda. It has been 16 years since Rwanda was bathed in blood from history’s most effective killing spree. The brutal murder of nearly 1 million people in 100 days by machetes and clubs was one of the most horrific and tragic episodes in the 20th Century. Today, Rwanda is a country where 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, life expectancy is 49 years, literacy is 70 percent, and 400,000 children (60 percent of those under 20 years old) are orphans, often living on the streets or being cared for by extended families in deprived conditions. Many women are living with the traumatic consequences of rape and violence and HIV/Aids infection which is often passed to their children through breast milk.

Pastor Osee Ntavuka, from All Nations Ministries, has good reason to want to establish this important part of the organisation’s work. Sadly, Osee and his family experienced at first hand the human cost of the tragedy as it unfolded in April 1994. He and his wife each lost close family members, including mother and father on both sides. Both brothers of his wife, Louise, were buried alive and perished. Their eldest son was missing for 6 months, presumed dead, but was later miraculously found in a neighbouring village and suffering from trauma. As a result of this was unable to speak to his parents for months afterwards. “Although Rwanda has shown encouraging signs of recovery in recent years, it still faces the wounds of the past and there is a great need for medical help to be provided to women, children and the elderly who are suffering through lack of equipment or doctors and nurses and the provision of basic education. This is why I want to extend our work in my country of birth. We have already operated in Mozambique where we set up a computer training school and built a new primary school as well as supplying sewing machines. Now we want to establish a similar programme in Rwanda but this time we want to bring medical assistance to those we are aiming to help in addition to educational equipment”

He went on to add that All Nations Ministries is appealing for doctors, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, dentists, teachers and IT technicians to contact them if they are interested in finding out more about how they can become involved in the project and make a significant impact on improving the daily lives of those living in Rwanda. It is hoped to arrange a visit to the country in November 2011 to begin the first phase of the programme which will see the delivery of health care provision, transportation by container of medical equipment and other much needed items including computers and sewing machines.

If you are able to help in any way or would like to volunteer as a health care professional, please contact Osee on 01752 651817 or by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it A meeting will be held on Friday 12 November at 7pm in Catherine Street Baptist Church Hall where anybody who can help with fundraising/donating equipment or who wishes to volunteer as a medical/dental professional can find out more information about the project aims and objectives. Additionally, if you have access to and can offer the team a free container for packing and transporting any donated equipment, Osee would like to hear from you.