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Good news - we are going back into Rwanda!
1998 was the last occasion when Bóthar airlifted animals into Rwanda. Regrettably, since then we have been unable to send animals to the central African country due to restrictions on importing animals, a result of the B.S.E crisis of the 1990's.
A short few weeks ago in September of 2006, Bóthar received the wonderful news that the Rwandan government has given us permission to recommence airlifting dairy heifers to poverty stricken families in Rwanda.
Bóthar's overseas development director, Dr. Bernard Muyeya, was in contact with with Dr. Epharaim Kabaija, Minister in the President's office who sent the following statement,
" The Government of Rwanda highly appreciate the work which was initiated with one shipment of Heifers from Bóthar Ireland before the ban of Irish Livestock due to BSE. Later in 2000, Bóthar partners Heifer International, joined the contribution to post war era Rwanda by supplying 700 in calf heifers from South Africa. "
"The livestock project is a great model and truly changing the lives of needy families in a very significant way in Rwanda. However there is still a high demand for livestock. Therefore, now the Government of Rwanda has decided to have the livestock approach as the means to solve malnutrition and poverty in the whole country. With that in mind the Rwandan Government decided to lift the ban on the importation of animals from Ireland. Bóthar has been granted an import permit to bring into the country 840 heifers from Ireland within the next three years to continue with the success which is already on the ground."
The board, patrons and staff of Bóthar are delighted to get this opportunity to recommence our efforts to assist and empower some of the poorest people in Africa who have suffered incomprehensible losses in the recent past. We hope you will want to assist us in our work.
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