Rwanda Coronavirus (COVID-19) 23 April 2020 – an update from Barnabas Coronavirus Emergency Network

From a bishop

“Here in Rwanda, we are also concerned and safe into God Almighty's Hands despite this Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak with lockdown and confinement, that was extended until 30th April to prevent its transmission.

“We are using home gatherings, and we sent a simple home gathering guidelines, and sometimes messages to reflect on.  Pastors are encouraging via telephone calls congregants to pray with their families in their homes. As elsewhere, we are working from home.

“Currently, almost every service is closed except the health institutions, petrol stations, food shops, hygiene and cleaning shops, medical shops, banks, and essential service are running for a limited time (for instance banks and food marked operate from 8.00am to 3.00pm), all with rarely people attending them, people are asked to remain home with security and local government staff monitoring and asking any person outside to return home, except those seeking the allowed services with founded justification. The Ministry of Trade and Industry has promptly limited the quantity of food and hygiene items to be purchased by an individual per day. In the villages, individuals are allowed to work in their own farms for a limited time (mainly in the mornings) respecting hygiene and physical distancing instructions. Serious measures are in place to avoid people meeting unnecessarily. The Government has encouraged the local administration to seek destitute people who cannot survive the confinement period and help them find food.
In the context of the fight against the Covid-19 and in solidarity with the most affected Rwandans, the Government of Rwanda has decided over and above ongoing social protection initiatives, that all Cabinet members, Permanent Secretaries, Head of Public Institutions, and senior officers shall forfeit one month's salary (April 2020). The church intervene by encouraging church members to gather food and hygiene material to help those mostly affected, especially those who were living from daily earnings.

“We pray that God Almighty heal the world so that the life goes back to normal.”