Mrs. Kagame made the remarks during the Qatar Foundation's commemoration of the 30th International Year of the Family on Thursday, October 31, 2024, highlighting the essential role of family in fostering sustainable development.
'Today's exchange calls for reflection, but also experience, on the transformative journey that can successfully take a people from deprivation to prosperity,' Mrs. Kagame stated.
The First Lady stressed the importance of addressing poverty through a holistic lens. She pointed out that the narrative surrounding poverty often reduces individuals to mere statistics, stripping them of their resilience and potential.
Mrs. Kagame challenged the prevailing measures of economic success, such as GDP per capita, arguing they often fail to capture the true quality of life experienced by individuals, particularly in nations marked by inequality.
'If 'poor' or 'rich' are to be pertinent qualifiers of human development for entire nations, shouldn't there be a more accurate and culturally-sensitive barometer, of the quality of one's well-being, than the one that we currently uphold?' she posed.
The First Lady's perspective aims to shift the dialogue from merely quantifying wealth to understanding the dynamics of prosperity and human development.
She called for a generational mindset shift regarding the term "poor country" and the associated narratives that often perpetuate stigma.
'Behind facts and figures, behind statistics, are real families, with aspirations and desires similar to everyone else's: the health and success of our children,' she urged.
'The futures of those who have abundance are closely connected with the lives of those in need. We must recognize that our fates are interconnected… So, we must all ask ourselves: Will this generation, at last, be the one to end extreme poverty? We are equipped with the resources, incentives and I dare hope, humanity, to do so.'
Reflecting on Rwanda's journey since liberation three decades ago, Mrs. Kagame shared the nation's strides toward eradicating poverty through innovative governance and social policies. She pointed to significant advancements, such as Universal Healthcare (Mutuelle de Sante), which covers over 98% of Rwandans, and initiatives like the Integrated Model Villages, which provide comprehensive support to vulnerable families.
'Since 2000, the Rwandan economy has multiplied more than seven times, and Rwandans' life expectancy has increased from 47 years to 70 years and rising,' she noted.
Mrs. Kagame also emphasized the importance of partnerships in achieving these goals, thanking the Qatar Foundation for its collaboration on projects aimed at ensuring that no child is left out of education.
'We take this opportunity to celebrate the solid partnership between the Government of Rwanda and Qatar Foundation. The Zero Out of School Project, spearheaded by Education Above All, offers an encouraging prospect that no child shall miss school, by re-enrolling all dropouts. Thank you for committing to this noble cause,' she thanked the foundation.
She also highlighted the significance of environmental sustainability in Rwanda's development agenda. With climate change posing a substantial threat, Mrs. Kagame highlighted Rwanda's efforts that have seen access to electricity increase from 6% to 75% in just 15 years, with a focus on renewable resources.
This, she asserted, is crucial for fostering a healthy and prosperous society capable of sustaining thriving families.
The First Lady is recognised globally for her dedication to vulnerable communities. She champions family well-being through her leadership at Imbuto Foundation and other organisations she patrons. Her initiatives focus on health, education, and social protection for marginalized groups.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
