Understanding Community Service as a Tool for Sustainable Development in Rwanda: A Case Study of Nyamagabe District.

Abstract

Understanding Community service as a tool for sustainable development in Rwanda: A Case Study of Nyamagabe District‘ is a study that was carried out in Nyamagabe district. In particular administrative sectors, namely Cyanika and Gasaka, community service was regarded as a way of punishment for people who committed the crime against humanity. Rather, it involves tigistes‘ self-discipline and respect. As a result, it has the potentials for the offender to make a constructive contribution to the community. As reconstructive measure, it exclusively targeted the offenders who committed genocide crimes in Rwanda. With reference to the conceptual framework established for this study, the existing literature accords to view sustainable development as a complex concept that advocates for environment protection, natural resources management, social life and development, and community development. Emphasis being made on the infrastructure development, an urgent need was felt to reconcile both the theoretical and professional point of views to understand the effect of community service on sustainable development. Along these lines, the primary interest of this study was to establish an inventory of community service achievements. On the basis of these achievements, the study discussed the relevance of community service for the sustainable development of Nyamagabe district. In so doing, the study intended to investigate the questions formulated as follows: In which ways does infrastructure development ensure the subsistence of both present and future generations in Nyamagabe? How does infrastructure development contribute to social services in Nyamagabe district? In which ways does the infrastructure development promote economic welfare in Nyamagabe district? How does the infrastructure development ensure environmental sustainability in Nyamagabe district? These questions involved an empirical inquiry to come up with tentative responses. The sample size was of 99 respondents was selected from genocide survivors, offenders in Cyanika labor camp, ex-offenders and other people. These respondents were reached through different research methods and data collection techniques like questionnaire survey, face-to-face interview, observation and documentation. xi The findings established the alternative punishment to imprisonment promotes social and economic welfare, environment sustainability though infrastructure development. As a matter of fact, the offenders gained professional skills in different fields such as carpentry; masonry, excavation work, joinery, hydraform machine use and weaving. They have built various public offices, established terraces, schools and markets, added value to human and natural resources, protected infrastructures and environment, self-developed themselves as well as their families, kept unity and reconciliation in their cooperatives. As a result, the empirical inquiry supported that the infrastructure development contributes to the subsistence of present and future generations. High quality infrastructure facilities pertaining to community service such as houses for vulnerable groups, schools, and terraces are among the indications widely highlighted. Finally, the study establishes that the infrastructure facilities support commodity exchange and communication facilities within the district and between the neighboring districts. There are few problems, if at all, in transporting manufactured goods, agriculture production, timber and charcoal in these districts. Thus, community service activities have yielded fruits that promote the economic welfare of the population of Nyamagabe district and beyond.