Earlier this year, I set out on a grand journey. I tested several activity trackers all at once, to decide which was the best in accuracy and in motivating me to lose a few pounds. Today, they sit unused on my desk. And I weigh pretty much the same.

What happened? For one, perhaps no one should try to use four activity trackers at the same time. Trying to stay on top of how they all compared ended up feeling like exercise itself.

But ultimately, I perhaps lost my motivation to be motivated by these devices by knowing too much about them. Realizing that three of them were missing out on some of my exercise made me not want to bother with them tracking anything at all.

Assuming they could “quantify” me and my activity accurately — as my fourth device, the BodyMedia Fit seemed to do, I found I had no interest in turning to my smartphone or my computer to try and churn through the data, not for the daily update and “nudge” that I needed.

Clearly, many people do feel motivated by these gadgets. And, as I always say, there’s no “wrong” device: what works for you, works for you. But here’s my story on how I found myself let down by my activity trackers.

My goal in the test was to figure out which fitness tracker really seemed to do the best job in counting my activity. I paddleboard. I Rollerblade. I do many nonwalking activities that had made me dubious about whether activity devices would track them well.

BodyMedia Fit: The accuracy winner, but not fun to wear

Without question, the BodyMedia Fit did the best job of all the devices I tried. With sensors to measure how much you sweat, along with your skin temperature, it consistently tracked all my activities better than the others.

The downside was the Fit wasn’t as comfortable to wear as any of the other devices. Future versions might improve this (as my write-up of the Fit covers in more detail). The Fit also lacked an immediate feedback mechanism, to keep me motivated. How was I doing on a particular day? To know, I had to use my computer or smartphone.

Ultimately, I found the Fit handy for use on a case-by-case basis. Now I have a better idea what I burn doing certain activities. If I do an extended exercise, I might wear it to know what I burned over that period. It’s also an ideal companion for the other devices that allow for manual logging of exercise. If they’re not capturing everything, the Fit lets you know better what to add. Assuming, of course, you want to invest in two devices!

Jawbone Up: Looks sharp, doesn’t track well

I felt the most attractive of the devices was the Jawbone Up. I also liked how it tries to make staying active a more social experience. I felt this feature worked better than similar offerings from Nike or Fitbit. But the letdown for me was that of the four, it tended to track my activity the worst.

On the plus side, the Up makes it really easy to supplement what it might miss with manual recording. However, so does the Fitbit. And the Fitbit comes with a visible feedback indicator that, to me, gave it the edge over the Up.

Fitbit Flex: Good tracking, shame about the on-device indicators

Having tried both the Fitbit Flex and the Fitbit One, I appreciated that the Flex seemed to capture some of my nonstep activity better. As with the Up, I was also able to supplement what it didn’t capture well, if I wanted.

What I missed on the Flex was the more detailed “stats” display that the One provided. Sure, it’s nice to be able to tap and see whether I’m closing in on my goal using the status lights. But I wanted a bit more. Numbers, not lights.

Nike FuelBand: Beautiful display, but misses too much

Of all the devices, the Nike FuelBand is the one I still want to love the most. Right there on my wrist is a readout of my activity, from steps to calories to whether I’m closing in on my daily “Fuel” goal.

I found that especially useful because, while all these devices will let you go back and analyze your activity, it was that daily motivation that I craved. Have I hit it? Am I close?

The Nike FuelBand, more than the others, made me want to go that extra bit if I was short of my goal, because I could tell exactly how much more I needed, instantly. Yes, I found myself pacing around the house before bedtime just to see that “Goal” light up.

But the FuelBand misses some activities and provides no way to supplement for this. I found myself almost resentful of it. “You’re not going to track that two-hour paddleboard as activity? Fine. I’m not going to do anything!”

I dearly hope Nike will fix this in the future, either with a new model or a way to upgrade existing ones. That might even get me to start wearing it again.

Food logging works! But what a pain

All the devices but the Nike will allow you to log your food. And logging my food, perhaps more than tracking my activity, seemed to help me lose about five pounds within my first two weeks of using the devices.

The problem was that food logging fell apart any time I was eating out, such as on a trip. How many calories in that hamburger? Who really knows? It can vary widely for so many reasons. And at a cocktail reception, I wasn’t stopping to jot down the type of cheese I ate, how many pieces, and what crackers I had with it.

Maybe that’s why food logging worked so well for me, at first. It was such a pain that I just didn’t want to eat at all.

What I’d love is a device that really could accurately track what I consume, and translate that into calories. Maybe this new Countertop app combined with the Prep Pad really will do that. But I kind of doubt it.

The good news is that if you’re a believer in food logging, you don’t need an activity tracker to do it. There are plenty of free and low-cost apps out there to help you.

My dream activity tracker and “little data”

If I could combine the accuracy of the BodyMedia Fit with the display and design of the Nike FuelBand, I’d be more interested in a return to the “quantified self” world, where all my activity is logged. It would give me both accuracy and an instant look at how I was doing.

That’s because, in the end, it wasn’t about having “big data” about my body, that I could analyze over weeks, months, or years. Sure, that’s interesting. But what I could actually act on was having “little data,” right on my wrist. Was I active today? How much more do I need to do to reach my goal? That was far more useful to me than trend charts.

Again, for those who use such devices, all the best. Whatever gets you motivated — an app, a tracker, or just yourself — it’s all good.

 Source:http://www.techrwanda.com/development/3411/how-my-body-rejected-activity-trackers-and-the-quantified-self/

At least one big-name data broker thinks I’m an Asian who owns a cat and a boat and loves to travel. Sounds like someone who leads a much more interesting life than I do.

That’s the profile Acxiom revealed when I plugged my name, address, and other information into the data broker’s free AboutTheData.com service. The beta of the service was released last week.

Mine is one of hundreds of millions of profiles Acxiom sells to advertisers and other public and private organizations, which explains all those yachting ads I’m being served up. For the record, our household owns no pets or boats. While we used to take quite a few trips, we travel infrequently these days.

AboutTheData.com promises to let us opt out of receiving targeted ads based on the company’s profile of us. Unfortunately, the “opt-out” option doesn’t erase the data or prevent Acxiom or anyone else from collecting our personal information.

Also, the opt-out link on AboutTheData.com leads to the confusing opt-out page on Acxiom.com. This page shows two different opt-out options: one for online advertising products and another for marketing and directory products, which requires that you fill out a form.

For a $5 fee you can fill out a U.S. Reference Information Report Request Form that lets you access and correct information in Acxiom’s directory and “fraud detection and prevention products.” A toll-free phone number and e-mail address are provided for requesting more information about the report.

View the information Acxiom has collected about you

Before you send in your $5 to get the scoop on yourself, check out your Acxiom profile on AboutTheData.com. Considering the original sources of the information — government agencies, businesses, retailers, and other public and private organizations — the chances are pretty good you’ll be in the company’s database. Acxiom claims to have the lowdown on hundreds of millions of people around the world, and about half the population of the U.S.

Start by clicking the link at the bottom of the AboutTheData.com home page to “See and Edit Marketing Data about You.” Complete an online form that asks for your name, address, complete birthday, e-mail address, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Usually I would hesitate to volunteer this information to a site I haven’t done business with in the past. But data brokers such as Acxiom know a lot more about us than these basics.

After you enter the captcha and press Enter, Acxiom’s marketing data about you is presented in six categories: Characteristics, Home, Vehicle, Economic, Shopping, and Household Interests. For example, the Economic category estimates your household income and indicates the type of credit cards you use, your purchasing history, and your lines of credit.

The blue “f” designates sensitive information for which Acxiom has applied “extra controls.” At the end of each entry is an Edit button; I didn’t test this option, as I explain below.

No way to opt out of personal-data collection

Above the categories on AboutTheData.com’s main profile page are links to information on how Acxiom collects the data, who can change the data, how quickly the changes take effect, and how to opt out of the company’s targeted advertising.

As I mentioned above, opting out is far from a click-once-and-done operation. After you opt out, you see just as many ads as you did previously, but the ads will be generic rather than customized to your profile. More importantly, Acxiom retains the data it has about you and will likely continue to use it in other ways.

And Acxiom is only one of hundreds of data brokers that collect and resell your personal information. Opting out of any single service doesn’t do much to protect your privacy.

That’s why I viewed my profile and recorded it in screenshots but didn’t use AboutTheData.com’s edit options to make any corrections. For one thing, I feel no need to improve Acxiom’s product without receiving any compensation for my effort.

Even when you correct errors in Acxiom’s profile, the mistakes may persist at whatever source the company tapped to collect the data. I’m happy to remain an Asian who takes my cat sailing to exotic locales.

Maybe Acxiom knows more about me than it lets on

The AboutTheData.com terms of service state clearly that Acxiom claims not to be a consumer reporting agency, as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and so is not subject to the “credit repair” requirements that TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax must follow.

As Adi Kamdar points out on the Electronic Frontier Foundation site, Acxiom’s dossiers are much more detailed than the information shown in AboutTheData.com profiles. Kamdar and other critics consider the free service an attempt by Acxiom to ward off government regulation of their data-collection operations.

Among the most vocal critics of data brokers is Julie Brill, commissioner of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. In her keynote address at the 23rd Computers Freedom and Privacy Conference last June (PDF), Brill proposed the Reclaim Your Name initiative.

According to Brill, the initiative’s goal would be to “give consumers the knowledge and the technological tools to reassert some control over their personal data — to be the ones to decide how much to share, with whom, and for what purpose.”

Last May the FTC warned 10 data brokers that they violated the Fair Credit and Reporting Act by offering to sell consumer information to FTC employees who posed as individuals and representatives of businesses and who intended to use the information to decide the consumers’ creditworthiness, eligibility for insurance, or suitability for employment.

Errors in the brokers’ data-collection process can have serious consequences for consumers. On the Justicia.com site, Anita Ramasastry explains the impact of such mistakes and how the Reclaim Your Name initiative may address the matter.

Data brokers gone wild… and unregulated

While Ramasastry describes AboutTheData.com as “an interesting start” despite its many errors, it’s safe to say the service does little if anything to ameliorate the situation. Some might say the service makes matters worse by offering the appearance of transparency when none in fact exists.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse’s directory of data brokers lists 253 such businesses as of the March 2013 update. Many of the brokers let you opt out only partially or not at all.

For a visual view of the data-broker industry, visit the Data Brokers infographic on Visual.ly. Note that the infographic is undated, but some of its data sources are as recent as last month.

If you’re determined to attempt the long, tedious task of opting out of data-broker products, or if you simply want to complain about companies profiting from the information they collect about you without your knowledge or consent, visit the Data Brokerspage on YourDigitalID.com.

The IT Law Wiki offers perhaps the most complete description of how the data brokers operate, including the sources of their personal information and applicable federal and state laws.

Perhaps someday we’ll be able to tell the organizations we interact with not to collect or use any more of our information than the minimum required to complete the transaction. Something tells me that day won’t be dawning anytime soon.

Source:http://www.techrwanda.com/news/3415/find-out-some-of-what-one-big-data-broker-knows-about-you/

Afro beat music duo, Two 4real’s song Agakayi is the dancehall darling to Kigali night clubs. The song features celebrated artists, Amagi the black and Bruce Melody, and it speaks of youth lifestyle of signing up for drinks at bars, and meet payments at the month end.

Agakayi hit music stores last month, its dancehall beats and the embedded message makes it a great hit to the youth.

 Two 4real’s lead singer, deejay Pius explains more about the song.

“Agakayi speaks of people who live on debts, sign up in bars without giving great consideration of bussiness owner needs of financial development,” says Dj Pius.

 Within few days Agakayi managed to sweep out hitting songs on music scene like Mama Bebe, Kelele and Care.

Source : http://www.tukabyine.com/index.php/articles/agakayi-the-new-darling-to-kigali-disco-goers/

“Being blind does not hinder me from working and developing my family” says Béatha Nyiransabimana a 35 years old female resident of Karambi village in Ngiryi cell in Gasaka sector in Nyamagabe district.

Béatha Nyiransabimana

The naturally blind born says her parents tried to treat her at 5 years but she never gained her sight. She however attended Gatagara Primary School for the blind.

Nyiransabimana thought about her future and what she can do to have a safer and good future. She decided on selling the local brew (Ikigage) with the help of her mother.

“With this work, I have saved enough money to buy 2 farms, I joined a Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO), and I save and get credits to expand my business.”

Nyiransabimana’s story is one that encourages people to stand and work for themselves. She sensitizes most people with disabilities to take her example and rise in society against all odds.

Nyiransabimana is a more reserved and respected woman in her area and she has suitors lined up like any other woman while she is taking her time to select her lifelong partner.

The sensitizers for Unity and Reconciliation in Rulindo district are positive of the positive changes brought by their projects in quicker than anticipated period.

This was said on this Thursday the 12^th September 2013 in a general assembly for Unity and Reconciliation Sensitizers in all sectors of Rulindo district.

The main objectives of this meeting were to discuss how far the operations and projects about Unity and Reconciliation have reached and their impact on the residents of Rulindo district.

For Gratien Kamami a sensitizer in Ntarabana sector, Unity and Reconciliation has taken a step worth appreciation. “In my sector, people have reconciled and are working together for the future disregarding the past. They have formed productive cooperatives and projects like farming, tailoring among others.”

Though Kamami points out many incidents that confirm unity and reconciliation among the residents of Ntarabana sector, he says this program needs more efforts to reconcile as many people as possible especially among the youth.

Felicien Ngirabatware the president for the forum for Unity and Reconciliation in Rulindo district says this forum has done a lot of work and has achieved more positive results. “People now understand that they are all Rwandans and have the equal rights and deserve to be treated so, this is a big achievement so far.”

Ngirabatware says the sensitization program is over and projects to reconcile people in general are to be more encouraged. These projects will ensure growth and development of people and achieving more unity among the people no matter what they past holds and walking together towards a more unified future.

TheRwanda Environmental Management has been striving to maintain environment while fighting the environmental pollution.

Among the achievements of REMA in the financial year 2012/2013 include training different people on environmental protection and opening 22 Automatic Weather Stations.

REMA intends to fight air, water and land pollution

According to Clarisse Kawera, a worker in REMA, building 2 villages as a way of showing people living in High Risk Zones the advantages of living in settlement villages was a commendable achievement by REMA.

The 2 villages of Muyebe in Muhanga district and Rubaya in Gicumbi district were initiated and maintained by REMA as a way of encouraging people to live in villages and ensuring people’s safety.

REMA also set strategies to eradicate environmental degradation especially in wetlands, rivers and lakes. Usage of polythene bags and all things that pollute the air, water and land were eradicated in Rwanda.

REMA promoted Greening schools program in Primary and Secondary Schools with the support of MINEDUC. Environmental protection program in the fight against climate change in EDPRS II program was also promoted.

With the support of REMA, the government of Rwanda created The National Climate and Environment Fund (FONERWA). This fund supports all projects that sustain the environment or projects that fight climate change and create Green Jobs. The FONERWA fund had 22,500,000 pounds to support other projects.

Considering the many achievements by REMA in economic year 2012/2013, many projects are under way. Among other things, REMA intends to develop green and climate resilient village models and promoting Greening Schools in more schools.

According to REMA, Rwanda cannot achieve long lasting development without conserving and protecting the environment first. Rwandans are being called upon to participate in environmental conservation in their day to day activities and work towards climate change resilience.

Taking care of the expecting mothers’ health till birth and encouraging mothers to prepare a special meal for children is the only way to eradicate malnutrition among children.

This conclusion was reached at by health workers in Gakenke district during the general meeting on this Thursday the 12^th September 2013.

The health workers in the meeting to fight malnutrition

Malnutrition among children is closely related to poor health to the expectant mother. When an expectant mother does not have the nutritious meals, this deficiency affects the unborn child in its growth.

According to Janviere Uwamahoro the health official in Gakenke district, there is enough food crops in the district that would provide good health to the people if they are consumed instead of being sold.

“We are working on the strategies to encourage people to eat their crop production for the sake of their health instead of looking for monetary gain. We are sensitizing pregnant women to always eat nutritious meals so as to give birth to healthy children” says Uwamahoro.

Yvonne Dusabimana who is in charge of nutrition in Rutenderi Health Center says children need their separate meals that contain all nutritious components for the healthy growth of the child. “a child’s meal; should include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and Diary products. It is a must have for children” says Dusabimana.

Dusabimana goes on to explain that poor nutrition has tremendous effect on a child below 2 years of age including stunted growth and poor concentration in classroom. According to the recent health research conducted in Gakenke district, 0.6% of children in Gakenke district are malnourished.

Gakenke district is planning on carrying out a campaign for 1000 days to fight malnutrition among children and mothers. The campaign will start in the last week of September with the theme that states “the first 1000 days are the basis of health in Rwanda”.

Most of the adults learning how to read and write in Musha sector of Gisagara district say they missed the chance of education because of the ignorance of their parents who would send them out to graze cattle instead of going to school.

Though this was an impediment to their education, these adults say they will not miss a chance of learning even in old age just as what happened in their past.

The 28 years old Pierre Manirakiza and Josephine Nyirabahutu the 50 years old are some of the adults learning how to read and write in adults schools in Musha sector. These adults have 2 things in common, they missed the chance to go to school because of their parents’ ignorance but now they are working hard to recover that chance by attending adult schools.

“With the current situation, it is not good to live as illiterate given the chances to learn reading and writing by our government” Says one elderly Zeburoni Nshimiryayo. “I decided to go back to the adults’ school, learn how to read and write without considering people who said it is a waste of time.”

Though age is another factor for Josephine Nyirabahutu to easily understand what she learnt, she is hopeful that slowly she will become literate like most of Rwandans.

Adults’ schools are the establishments of the government in its program to have literate citizens. According to UNESCO, 1 out of 7 people is illiterate worldwide.

Gihembe refugee camp on September 12, 2013 embraced a new center for Gender-based-violence (GBV) prevention built under the funds from the UNHCR.

The GBV centre was jointly inaugurated by UNHCR, Rwanda National Police and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR) in Gicumbi District in the Northern Province of Rwanda.

Speaking at the inaugurating ceremony, the UNHCR representative in Rwanda Neimah Warsame, reaffirmed the commitment of UNHCR to support the Government of Rwanda in GBV eradication programs.

“I commend the efforts made by the Government of Rwanda in GBV prevention, and most importantly this initiative to extend GBV prevention even in refugee camps,” said Warsame.

Warsame pledged on behalf of UNHCR to remain committed in supporting refugees in Rwanda as well targeting to setup similar centers in all refugee camps in Rwanda.

The Minister of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs Mukantabana Seraphine expressed gratitude to the UNHCR for the fund it invested in the construction of this center and its equipment.

“I, on the behalf of the Government of Rwanda, commend the continued support of UNHCR to assist refugees in Rwanda. We expect that this center inaugurated today will play a significant role in reducing social crimes within the camp,” said Hon. Mukantabana.

That center will accommodate different Government institutions operating in the camp including MIDIMAR, Rwanda National Police and Immigration & Emigration Office, in order to ensure coordination and effective management.

Minister Mukantabana named the inaugurated Center “ Turi Kumwe” translated as “ We are together” in order to highlight the primacy of collaboration between different institutions and refugees’ community

DCG Stanley Habimana, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, reiterated that the police will continue to engage necessary efforts to ensure security in the camp.

“The police has been working to ensure security in this camp as elsewhere in the country. However, this facility will help us to effectively perform our duties in this camp. We shall increase staff here to make sure that that social and GBV related crimes and prevented,” Said DCG Habimana.

The inaugurated facility will specifically serve the police to enhance GBV prevention programs in Gihembe camp and enable the police to actively ensure the overall security of the camp.

Gihembe refugee camp is home for 14600 Congolese refugees who have lived there since 1996.

Today on RSE, the market recorded six deals of 1,046,000 BoK shares and 400 Bralirwa shares worth Rwf178,572,600; up marginally from Rwf 1,528,200 on a volume of 1,800 Bralirwa shares traded in two deals yesterday. The RSE share index (RSI) remained unchanged compared to the previous trading session of 218.70.

The BoK counter traded at a high of Rwf 180 and low of Rwf 170 before closing at Rwf 180, unchanged from yesterday’s closing price whereas Bralirwa counter traded and closed at Rwf 849, unchanged from yesterday’s closing price.

KCB shares last transacted at Rwf 175 while NMG shares last transacted at Rwf 1,200. At the end of formal trading hours, there were outstanding offers of 378,100 BoK shares between Rwf 180-196 and no outstanding bids.

On Bralirwa counter, there were outstanding offers of 183,200 shares between Rwf 849-890 and no outstanding bids. On KCB counter; there was an outstanding bid of 5,000 shares at Rwf 180 and no outstanding offers.

Source : http://www.rwandaeye.com/news/2986/rse-shares-margin-slightly-up/

Nziratimana (L) and Akamanzi seal the gesture with a handshake as Imena (C) looks on. The New Times/ Timothy Kisambira.

The government yesterday signed a $22 million (about Rwf14.5 billion) mining concession with Pella Rwanda Resources Ltd to exploit Musha and Ntunga sectors in Rwamagana District, Eastern Province.

Pella Rwanda Resources Ltd is owned by UK-based Pella Resources Ltd, an African-focused natural resource and energy group.

The mining company has a strong track record in exploration and mine development across 18 countries in Africa, according to authorities.

Clare Akamanzi, the acting chief executive of Rwanda Development Board, and Evode Imena, the minister of state for natural resources in-charge of mining, signed for Rwanda, with Thomas Jiji Nziratimana, the executive director of Pella Rwanda Resources Ltd.

The deal says Pella Rwanda Resources Ltd will inject $22 million in the project for five years as well as carry out mining operations to extract mainly cassiterite (tin) and possibly tantalite and tungsten at Musha and Ntunga concessions.

By the fifth year of the licence, the company expects to increase its minimum production level from 50 tonnes of refined minerals to 120 tonnes per month.

Addressing the media after the signing, Imena said Musha and Ntunga were discovered in the 1930s and were mainly exploited in semi-industrial manner.

“In 2006, when government privatised all the mining operations in the country, all the private operators were granted licences to exploit those mines,” he said. “Unfortunately, they didn’t fulfil the contractual obligations, leading to cancellation of the licences in 2011.”

“For the first time since 2006, we have tendered mining concession in Rwanda and the process has been well-conducted and we are looking for suitable investors. We are glad Pella has come on board to exploit the untapped mineral potential in Rwamagana District.”

Imena said the deal offers a big opportunity for the country to enhance mineral sector development and transform the lives of nationals through employment opportunities.

He said there are more than 548 active mining sites in the country producing between 600 and 700 tonnes of minerals on a monthly basis.

“Rwanda is committed to triple the mineral sector production by 2017, and having such an important company investing in the exploration, exploitation and processing of minerals, we believe we are on track to achieving our objectives,” he said.

The 2013 US geological survey report on commodity tanked Rwanda 4th producer of tantrum in the world.

Company targets

Nziratimana said the company targets to create employment opportunities and transform the livelihood of the surrounding communities.

“Rwanda has potential for mineral development and investors have huge prospects in the sector. We are committed to using our expertise and technology to exploit the untapped mineral potential, especially tin in Musha and Ntunga areas,” he said.

Nziratimana said Pella Rwanda Resources Ltd will start construction and processing after eight months because they have to first produce the social impact assessment report to ensure occupational safety of the workers and nearby communities.

Akamanzi said: “Rwanda has several types of mineral deposits in which we look forward to working with our partners like Pella Resources Ltd to develop and enable more investments, as well as explore additional opportunities not yet discovered.”

The mining sector is steadily becoming one of the country’s biggest foreign earners, fetching $136.6m (about Rwf86.7 billion)–only second to tourism–last year. The government targets $407m (Rwf268.6 billion) from mineral exports by 2017.

The country produces about 8,000 to 9,000 tonnes of mineral compounds annually, and ranks eighth in the world for non-molten tin, which translates into 1.5 per cent of global tin production.

In 2011, Rwanda adopted a mineral tagging and sealing scheme, the iTSCi project, that traces origins of all minerals.

iTSCi is an international tin supply chain which aims at ensuring traceability of tin.

Tourists on Lake Kivu, arguably one of the most beautiful water bodies in the region. The New Times/ Jean Pierre Bucyensenge.

On the heels of the regional tripartite single tourism visa system, stakeholders in the sector have embarked on an ambitious plan to overhaul the potential of Lake Kivu to boost sector revenue.

The lake is arguably one the most beautiful water bodies in EAC.

Improving tourism infrastructure around Lake Kivu, in Western Province, will boost the tourism industry in the country thus increasing revenues from the sector, officials have said.

Lake Kivu is arguably one of the most beautiful water bodies in the region, offering wonderful sceneries exemplified in the radiant panorama the lake affords a viewer checking out the surrounding lush and hills.

However, tourism around Lake Kivu is still not fully exploited and still needs to be revamped, according to officials.

Rica Rwigamba, the head of tourism at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), told The New Times that although domestic tourism in the areas surrounding Lake Kivu is quite developed, there is need to bring in more tourists.

That will require diversifying products available alongside the lake and improving infrastructure, mainly the hospitality industry.

The apparent need to revamp tourism in the area and boost its revenue is what pushed the government to commission a study on which activities could stimulate the flow of local and international tourists to the western part of the country.

The study, commissioned by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and RDB, took over a year to complete and was conducted by German experts.

The Kivu-belt tourism sub-master plan, as the study is known, was developed “in order to transform the region around Kivu into one of the most competitive tourist destinations in the region,” according to Rwigamba.

On Wednesday, officials from various ministries and government institutions met with Karongi business community to discuss the implementation of the master plan.

They also toured the areas which have been identified as strategic for the set up of tourism-related infrastructure.

Timely for Single Visa policy

These developments are timely as they come in the face of the new single tourist visa system agreed upon by three East African Community partner states; Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.

The single visa policy, that seeks to boost tourism in the region, allows a tourist to pay for only a single visa and access borders of the tripartite states. The visa policy takes effect in January.

The study focuses on five districts surrounding Lake Kivu, namely; Karongi, Rubavu, Nyamasheke, Rusizi and Rutsiro.

However, it gives much weight to Rusizi, Karongi and Rubavu as the regions with high potential of attracting tourists.

The plan suggests the establishment of hotels, spas, golf courses, resorts, marinas and conference halls, among others.

According to Rwigamba, investing in tourism infrastructure development will stimulate other activities, including the making of artefacts, streamlining maritime transport, boosting sports activities on the lake and fishing, among others.

“With this master plan not only are we bringing investors, but also we are having a plan to market this area much more,” Rwigamba said, describing it as “a very important milestone” in the development of tourism in the country.

She also said the plan is in line with the country’s programme to diversify tourism products so that when people come to visit they have a lot of products to choose from, which she said would also see an increase in revenues from tourism.

The Kivu belt attraction


The Kivu belt adds to the existing Congo-Nile trail, a 227-kilometre stretch from Rubavu to Rusizi districs via Karongi and Nyamasheke districts in Western Province. The 10 days hiking trail offers many delights for a tourist, such as coffee and tea routes and natural beaches along the shores of Lake Kivu, among others.

It also adds to Nyungwe National Park, in the south-western part of the country, which offers tracking chimpanzees and bird watching, and canopy walk, among others.

“The Kivu belt is a good addition [to the existing tourism products] because people will be able to do different [tourism] activities in this region,” Rwigamba said.

According to officials, efforts are being made to lure investors for the implementation of the master plan.

The Kivu belt tourism sub master plan puts the cost of investment in the area at between $50 (about Rwf32 billion) and $80 million (about Rwf52 billion).

Addressing Karongi business community on Wednesday, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Francois Kanimba, urged them to seize the opportunity to develop the planned infrastructure in the area.

He said it should be a prime responsibility of locals to invest in the area of tourism development rather than waiting for foreign investment.

“It is time for everyone to start thinking of which investment they can do to interest tourists,” Kanimba said, promising the areas returns on their investment.

“This part of the country has huge investment potential. So you should seize the opportunity and start investing,” he added.

In a subsequent interview, Kanimba said government will remain a partner in the development of tourism along the Kivu belt, mainly by looking for investors and creating awareness among the local business community to invest in the sector.

Students can now study until September 30

The National University of Rwanda (NUR) has extended, by two weeks, the registration deadline for new and continuing students.

The earlier deadline had expired on September 15.

The decision to extend the registration deadline comes as a response to the “on-going process of evaluating the appeals of some students, vis-à-vis their ability to pay tuition fees”, according to a communiqué, released on Monday and signed by the university acting rector, Prof Manasse Mbonye.

The government has directed districts to look into the complaints of university students who claim that they were denied government loans after they were ‘wrongly’ categorised under the Ubudehe classification programme.

Under the revised scholarship scheme, the government fully supports only students whose families are in categories one and two of Ubudehe, considered as the poorest of the society. Those in categories three and four have to pay half tuition fees and meet their upkeep while those in categories five and six foot all their tuition and monthly upkeep.

The new system has caused uproar among students, especially those in the 3rd and 4th categories, who argue that they might end up halting their studies if nothing is done to salvage the situation.

Indeed, many of the students, who await the final decision of the reviewers, are yet to report back to their studies while a handful of those who managed to report are continuing with lessons since the academic year opened about two weeks ago.

Courses ongoing

“We have agreed to temporary allow the unregistered students to attend classes until the [September 30] deadline,” Mbonye told The New Times yesterday, adding that currently, student registration stands at over 60 per cent.

Over 10,000 students, including those on private sponsorships, are registered at the Huye-based university.

When The New Times visited the university yesterday some students said attendance in some classes was still too low, alluding to the fact that many students are yet to report.

A number of unregistered students, who spoke with this paper, said they find it “useless” to report to the university while their fate hangs in balance.

All the students who spoke to The New Times asked not to be identified.

A second year Management student, who hails from Karongi, said she was still waiting for the final decision of the review panel.

“If they put me on the list of those to be supported, I will immediately go [for studies]. But this time I can’t report to school without hope that I will go on with my studies,” the student, who is in the third category, said by phone.

“We can’t raise the money they are asking us to pay. It is a lot,” she said, noting that she has two other siblings who are also at the university and are in the same situation.

Another third year student from Nyamagabe District expressed the same feelings.

“My family is very poor that they cannot fund my education. If I am not retained among those to be supported by the government, I will be compelled to drop out,” the young man said.

The New Times understands that the final list of those to be supported among the ones who submitted complaints is set to be released today, Friday.

Over 6,000 complaints were filed by students from categories that have to pay half or full tuition fees.

Bridge2Rwanda Training Center is excited to become the first Kaplan Certified Education Provider (KCEP) in Rwanda, offering the world’s premier test preparation courses for the GRE®, GMAT®, SAT® and TOEFL® exams.

These tests are required for admissions to most international universities. KCEP courses will allow students to take an in-class course, along with online assets to enhance the classroom experience.

We would like to announce the newest course being offered through our KCEP Partnership.

This is specifically geared towards preparation for the GMAT exam, which is required for individuals who wish to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration.

GMAT Course:

Start Date: October 2, 2013

$350—8 Sessions—8 Weeks

WEDNESDAYS 6-9pm

Location: Bridge2Rwanda Training Center in Kacyiru, Telecom House, 1st floor

GMAT Course Features

 8 classroom sessions with an experienced international KCEP certified teacher

 Over 160 hours of instruction and practice, including over 5,000 practice items and 9 full‐length computer adaptive tests (CATs) in the format of the GMAT

 Three months of access to Kaplan online materials and resources

 The most Integrated Reasoning preparation of any major GMAT prep provider

 Adaptive learning technology (Smart Reports™ ) to identify your strengths and weaknesses

Contact us to reserve your spot today!

Contact Information: Phone number: 0787192086

Email: mkarugarama@bridge2rwanda.org

Eleven cows worth Rw5.5 million were in Nyabihu district in the promotion of Girinka Program on this Tuesday the 17^th September 2013 by the Rwanda Agriculture Development Board (RAB).

These 11 cows were given to the poor and vulnerable residents of Nyabihu district as support in the Poverty Eradication Program. These cows will help the owners have better health by providing them with milk, manure for manure and promoting people’s socio-economic welfare.

With thew exception of Shyira, Kintobo and Rurembo sectors, other sectors of Nyabihu district were given one cow each sector and 2 cows in Rambura and Muringa sectors.

These 11 cows were given out as an addition to the 27 cows that were given in July 2013 in the promotion of Girinka Program as per 2013/2014 performing contracts explains the veterinary doctor for Nyabihu district Eugene Shingiro.

People who were given these cows were asked to take good care of these cows as as to achieve the socio-economic development and get out of poverty and give to their neighbours when they reproduce.

Nyabihu district plans on distributing about 500 cows in Girinka Program in this economic year 2013/2014. In the last economic year 2012/2013, about 843 were given out when the district6 had vowed to give out 800 cows.

The number of cows to be distributed reduced due to lack of partner organizations that used to support the district in distribution of cows to local people.

Rwanda’s team Lionceaux academy made a false start at the Under-17 Airtel Rising Stars inter-country football tournament where they lost twice to Malawi and Nigeria in the opening matches of Group A in Lagos this week.

In their opening match against Malawi, the Rwandan representative lost 3-0a and the result was doubled against Nigeria on Wednesday.

On Thursday, they were set to play DR Congo who was also ejected out of the tournament after losing its two matches too.

Lionceaux academy was making its first appearance in the Airtel Rising Stars U-17 soccer tournament is a pan-African initiative of Airtel Africa designed to create a pool of talents that would help feed the national teams.

Last year, Ghana won the girls title while the boys crown went to Niger.

The best players from the championship will get the opportunity to attend football clinics provided by two of the world’s biggest football clubs; Arsenal and Manchester United.

The clinics, which will take place in Lagos (Nigeria) and Lubumbashi (DR Congo) in April 2014, will be managed by UEFA-trained coaches from the two English Premier League giants.

Holders Spain stayed on course to win a third successive European championship title after guards Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez inspired them to a 90-60 mauling of Serbia in Wednesday’s quarter-final.

The Spaniards, who finished runners-up to the United States at the 2012 Olympics, will play either hosts Slovenia or France for a berth in Sunday’s final.

The Slovenians and the French lock horns later on Wednesday (1900 GMT), while Croatia take on underdogs Ukraine and 2003 winners Lithuania meet Italy on Thursday in the other two quarter-finals.

Spain lost three matches in the two preliminary group stages after playing in fits and starts but hit top gear against the Serbians, romping to a 21-5 lead in the first quarter thanks to 13 points from Fernandez.

Rodriguez added 14 in the second period and initial cheers of support by 8,000 Serbian fans for their team in the Stozice arena turned into jeers midway through the third quarter, when a Ricky Rubio three-pointer gave the defending champions a staggering 69-29 advantage.

Serbia restored some respectability to the scoreline late on but it was scant consolation with their worst performance in the 24-team tournament having come on the back of impressive wins over Lithuania and France.

Rodriguez led all scorers with 22 points, Fernandez added 19, while guard Danilo Andjusic and centre Rasko Katic netted 11 each for Serbia.

Reuters

 The Parent’s Evening Program that brings parents together in villages to discuss about apparent issues affecting their families has led to positive changes in many families in Gatsibo district. This program teaches parents more about governmental, developmental and health programs.

The Parents’ Evening Program has helped in the reduction of domestic conflicts in many families. It has helped curb Gender Based Violence by telling people in the program of the dangers of these issues and giving couples chances to iron out their differences.

People who participate in this program say there can never be a long lasting development with no harmony in their families. The families that achieved harmony due to Parents’; Evening Program are working towards their development.

Gatsibo district administration say domestic conflicts and abuse can be eradicated if people are taught the laws that govern families, the rights and responsibilities of every person in the family.

If all people can understand that every person has rights and responsibilities to fulfill, things can get easier. “For example, if men understood that women have the same rights like men on the property and land management as well as inheritance rights, women would not be buried and abused over those issues” says Felicite Nyiramana.

The Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, has urged hotel owners to standardize Internet connectivity in hotel institutions in order to improve service delivery.

He made the remarks on September 19, 2013 while addressing hotel IT managers during a workshop to equip these professionals with the knowledge they need improve Internet access in their establishments.

According to Nsengimana high-speed Internet access in Rwanda is readily available, adding that IT managers are simply not aware of the best technologies to implement in their establishments. As a result, connectivity remains low and complaints from guests remain high.

He added that there is high connection availability since the government has invested in telecoms, and the prices have gone down but IT managers are not aware of this change.

Nsengimana stressed that Internet should be a basic provision that every hotel, regardless of the place or its level should have. “Internet connection should be like water or electricity. If there is no water or electricity it is a big problem”, he said.

IT managers expressed challenges that they face, including the non-detailed and confusing bill that they get from the Internet providers. Often, they find they are incorrectly over-billed for large sums of money.

Karekezi, one of the participants from Dian Fossey Hotel in Nyiramacibiri, Rubavu district said that this workshop is very important for IT professionals and requested that the Ministry continues to keep them up to date on IT services in the country.

Besides free wi-fi in public places, hotels, and restaurants, commercial buildings, like malls and shopping centers, are requested to improve their connectivity by installing wireless internet in open spaces.

Iyo umugabo n’umugore babanye neza, bagafashanya mu mirimo yose kandi bakungurana ibitekerezo ku cyateza urugo rwabo imbere; babasha kugera kuri byinshi kandi byiza mu gihe gito. Imwe mu miryango yo mu karere ka Kamonyi itanga ubuhamya bw’ibyo yagezeho nyuma yo kwimika ihame ry’uburinganire.

Shyaka Hassan wo mu murenge wa Musambira, afite umugore n’abana ba tandatu. Ngo ataramenya ibyiza by’uburinganire n’ubwuzuzanye yahozaga umugore we ku nkeke, yibwira ko ntacyo ashoboye kandi ko nta nama z’umugore mu gukemura ibibazo by’urugo.

Uyu mugabo waje guhinduka abitewe n’amahugurwa yahawe n’ishyirahamwe ry’abagabo barwanya ihohoterwa rishingiye ku gitsina RWAMREC ; ahamya ko kudashyira hamwe kubashakanye ngo bajye inama bidindiza iterambere ry’urugo.

Ngo nyuma y’aho arekeye kwikanyiza mu rugo rwe, bamaze kugera kw’iterambere rigaragara harimo kubaka amazu, kugura amatungo no guteza imbere ubuhinzi bwa kijyambere kuko asigaye ajya inama n’umugore we.

Ubuhamya nk’ubu bugarukwaho na Yankurije Budensiyana, na we wo mu murenge wa musambira uvuga ko yamaze imyaka isaga itanu atumvikana n’umugabo we kandi babana mu rugo. Ngo icyo gihe buri wese yatekaga ukwe, agahinga ukwe, ntihagire na kimwe bafatanya.

Yankurije avugako ari we wabihomberagamo kuko mu byo yakoraga byose ari we wari ufite inshingano zo kwita ku bana ba tatu afitanye n’uwo mugabo. Izo nshingano zose zatumaga adatera imbere akabeshwaho no guhingira abandi kuko umugabo yari yaramugeneye agasambu gato ko guhinga.

Urugo rwa Yankurije rwo, ngo rwashyize hamwe rubikesha Umugoroba w’ababyeyi kuko babagaye mu ruhame, maze umugabo we agafata icyemezo cyo gushyira hamwe n’umugore bagafatanya gukorera bana ba bo. Ngo kuri ubu, bahingira hamwe isambu ya bo ndetse n’ibibazo by’abana bagafatanya kubikemura.

Mu biganiro bitangwa n’inzego zitandukanye zishinzwe kurengera iterambere ry’umuryango, abashakanye bahamagarirwa kubahiriza ihame ry’uburinganire n’ubwuzuzanye, kuko ari byo bibafasha gutera imbere, kandi abishyize hamwe nta kibananira.