Rusumo Project enhances social development in riparian localities.
In addition to constructing Rusumo 80MW power plant that will increase electricity to the national grids of Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania, Rusumo Project is giving back to riparian communities surrounding Rusumo Project’s construction area by implementing the Local Area Development Program (LADP), a benefit-sharing program worth 15 Million US Dollars designed to enhance regional economic and social development in the Rusumo area as an extended program related to the construction of Rusumo Project commandeered by respective districts and communes.
Moreover, Rusumo Project endeavors to maintain good relationship with communities surrounding the project’s sites in Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania. The Project continues to raise positive awareness among communities and ensures sustainable safety of the communities are Project’s priority. Despite inescapable challenges encountered during construction phase, the Project endeavors to sustain a positive impact on local communities.
The Project has been supporting Ngara District for the last four years in celebrating the Uhuru Torch Day as part of social responsibility that backs up the district in its national social development program. NELSAP Rusumo Project participated in the celebration of the Independence Torch also-know-as Mwenge wa Uhuru in April 2019 and 2022, of which the torch circulated from Ngara to Karagwe districts. The Project also sponsored production of about 400 hundred visibility T-Shirts branded with Tanzania national logo for Uhuru Torch as well as NELSAP Rusumo Project and the RPCL logos.
During Covid outbreak, Rusumo Project supported Kirehe District’s preventive measures of COVID-19 in donating 700 hundreds of visibility jackets reflectors with Covid-19 prevention sensitization messages in November 2021. The reflectors are still used by Kirehe Youth Volunteers to mobilize communities in preventing spread of the pandemic which plays an important role in mobilization and sensitization of physical mass meetings among Kirehe sectors and cells including Rusumo communities. The vests reflectors were branded with District and National Police logos as they are working with Kirehe Youth to sensitize communities, as well as NELSAP Rusumo Project and Project’s Owner’s logos – RPCL - to participate in the effort to prevent the spread of the pandemic with a strategic message in local language: “NELSAP, RPCL, hamwe na Kirehe Youth Volunteers, dufatanye kurwanya Covid-19”, was saying the message.
A national campaign against fraud and corruption is ongoing including in Kirundo Province, Busoni Commune and Muyinga Province in Giteranyi commune to sensitize the fishing communities, motorcyclists working around Rweru and Cohoha Lakes. NELSAP Rusumo Project endeavored to support this national initiative which positively benefits communities surrounding those two Lakes. The Project donates about 500 reflectors vests branded with Rusumo Project and the RPCL’s logos with the national thematic message: “Twese hamwe turwanye igiturire” on the
“We welcome Rusumo Project gesture that supports Burundi national effort to fight against fraud and corruption among fishermen of the Lake Rweru”, said the local leader of Giteranyi Commune, Muyinga.
This action plays a big role in maintaining a continuous relationship with riparian communities, especially when the 80MW Plant’s Owner, RPCL takes it over for operation, where it is expected that a sound corporate social responsibility plan will be implemented to champion and develop an ethical, environmentally friendly, and community-minded side of RPCL business.
