RUGO: News from Dundee

RUGO and Professor Gerda Siann are pleased to communicate the following:

The University of Dundee has spearheaded a new initiative to help equip Rwandan women to play a significant role in the rebuilding of their country which has been wracked by genocide in recent years.

A scholarship scheme has been set up by the University to provide a scholarship for a Rwandan student and this was launched at the reception of the international conference "Gendering the Millenium" on 11 September 1998.

It was attended by the Lord Mayor of Dundee who spoke of his city as being the "city of discovery".

Also present were 140 delegates from all over Europe, America, Asia and Africa.

Amongst the speakers were Doris Auclair, the treasurer of RUGO and Francois Udahemuka, the Charge D'Affairs at the Rwandan Embassy who spoke about the value of educating women.

A trust fund has been set up by Dundee University to raise funds to support the Rwandan students and Doris appealed on behalf of this trust fund.

Doris also appealed to other Universities to provide scholarships.

The first student, Nakavuma Specioza, started her civil engineering course in Dundee University in October with the tuition fees waived by Dundee University for the duration of the four year course.

Rwandan Ambassador, Dr Zac Nsenga, and the rector of Rwanda's only university in Butare, Dr Emile Rwamasirabo, and members of RUGO hope other universities will follow Dundee's lead in the scholarship scheme as well as supporting schools in Rwanda.