The Rwandan Community in Ghana on Saturday March 23, 2004 undertook a community cleaning exercise, indigenously called Umuganda, at the Alliance Francaise in Accra as part of the celebration of this year’s Organisation internationale de la Francophonie festival.

They were joined by the High Commissioner of Rwanda to Ghana, Rosemary Mbabazi and the Ambassador of Togo to Ghana, Lt. Colonel Awoki as well as staff of the Embassy of France in Ghana.

Translated as 'coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome,' Umuganda is a homegrown solution where people in Rwanda convene regularly to carry out communal work – specifically related to sanitation, in addition to discussing issues that affect their communities.

In Rwanda, Umuganda is held every last Saturday of the month to allow members of the community to come together to collectively undertake projects of common good and address social and economic challenges.

Participants in the Umuganda exercise cleaned areas within and around Alliance Francaise, sweeping and picking of plastic bags and bottles.

High Commissioner, Rosemary Mbabazi explained that Umuganda was one of the ways in which community members contribute to addressing developmental and societal challenges.

She said some of the activities undertaken during Umuganda include the building of schools and other infrastructure if they were the immediate needs of the community.

She said the picking of plastic bags and bottles was therefore necessary to protect the environment.

On his part, the Ambassador of Togo to Ghana, Lt. Colonel Awoki expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the Umuganda and commended Rwanda for such an initiative that helps people to be involved in building their nation.

He pledged to always participate in future Umuganda activities in Ghana.

The Director of Alliance Francaise, Accra, Heléne Geneau-Okutue, whose facility was chosen for the Umuganda, was also impressed with the concept of Umuganda and thanked the Rwanda Community for organizing a clean-up exercise at the facility.

She indicated that plans will be made to mobilize a lot more people to participate in subsequent Umuganda activities.