Abner Gahaya Cyusa, a 20-month-old toddler born with Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), a condition where one or more holes are found in the wall that separates the right and left ventricles of the heart, on Friday March 30, 2012 left for medical treatment in India.

He was seen off at Kigali International Airport by some members of BRD staff led by the Mr Emmanuel Karuranga, Director of Credit Administration who was standing for the CEO. The boy was been accompanied to India by his father, Mr Benjamin Ngarambe and his Mother.

BRD together with its staff are supporting the travel and other expenses for the boy’s operation and treatment. BRD wishes Abner a successful operation and expect the child to return home soon health and safely.

VSD is one of the most common congenital heart defects and if not corrected leads to heart failure and eventually death.

This is not BRD’s 1st corporate social activities in health care. In past years, the bank sponsored a free eye clinic camp (code-named ‘The Gift of Sight’) in Kageyo in Kayonza district, Eastern Province in association with a team of over 20 medical personnel under the leadership of Dr John Nkurikiye. Dr Nkurikiye is an eye surgeon who was also the head of the eye section at Kanombe Military Hospital. The team of doctors, surgeons and medical personnel provided glasses, correct any impairment and carried out investigative assessment on other patients. BRD also supports its staff and their family members who need special treatment abroad. BRD is also involved in more other corporate activities such as:

• Youth Cultural Activities
• Multi Sporting Events
• Support and counselling for victims of HIV /AIDS
• Education and documentation financing of a documentary on the genocide of 1994 for eradicating the genocide ideologies or any other discrimination;
• Supporting youth, genocide survivors to sustain themselves among others.
  

Since the start of this year, BRD has support various social corporate activities such as Students’ University Challenge, the golf tournament and mushroom project for children in Mageragere (survivors of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi).