Page 32 - 15 years of TI-Rwanda experience : citizen engagement as the driver to fight against corruption

32 Transparency International Rwanda
Raising awaReness Raising the Voices of
citizens: Outreach programs in rural areas of Rwanda
itizens who live far away from our ALAC
centers might not be aware of our anti-
Ccorruption movement nor of the possibility
to report corruption in our ALACs. Therefore,
TI-RW organizes outreach activities in remote
areas on a regular basis. The day following the
outreach activity, citizens have the opportunity
to report corruption or cases of injustice to one
member of the TI-RW team during the so called
“Legal Mobile Clinics”.
An outreach activity is more than standing in
front of people and talking to them! Here, we
take you with us to one day of outreach activity:
“It is just at the end of the rainy season, the first
time in the year when my colleagues and I from
TI-RW spread out to various Sectors in Rwanda
for our outreach activities. It is in this period of
the year, when we reach out to the citizens to
inform about the consequences of corruption,
existing mechanisms to report corruption, to
Together Against Corruption
Transparency International Rwanda 33
listen to their experiences and personal stories Today, 26th May 2018, around Through our research at TI-RW,
and specially to create a platform where local 7 am, my colleague from we always find new evidences
authorities and citizens have the opportunity to In 2017: GIZ and I are heading north of corruption related issues and
meet and discuss. to Musanze District, Busogo major gaps of awareness’s and
5100 Sector. Around 20 000 citizens take them up in our Outreach
One week before the outreach, we have live in Busogo, a district just at activities. Today it is the first
already prepared the materials for the outreach, the foot of the volcanoes and time that we will talk about it
informed our volunteers in the villages (CCCs) participants about 4 hours away from Kigali. at Sector level and I am already
and ALAC coordinators in the sectors. One We have just left Kigali and I curious to see reactions of
important preparatory task is to write a letter to am calling one of our ALAC citizens and whether we can
the Mayor of the District and copy the Governor coordinators to confirm that initiate a discussion on this
of the Province and Executive Secretary of we have left Kigali on time. She topic.
Sector, informing them about the activity and informed me that in Busogo,
to make sure in advance that no other activities they have started to prepare the After picking up our ALAC
are planned at Sector level which may limit sound system and benches in Coordinator from our Musanze
the attendance of citizens. We want to make an open space for community Office near the market, we are
our activity as transparent as possible and also meetings. heading to Busogo Sector, it is
involve the local governments in this activity. 1970 3130 cold but the sun is just coming
We are entering the District of out – perfect for gathering
Musanze and I have finished to citizens outside. The Sector
go through my notes again. This officers are there, the CCCs
188 complaints year, we have a new and very have started to play some music
received in 12 sensitive topic on the agenda: to attract citizens who have
Gender-Based-Corruption.
not arrived and to entertain
Sectors those who have arrived. This
time, about 1500 citizens
participated!
Together Against Corruption