As Rwanda prepares to celebrate the World Environment Day, The Rwanda Environment Management
Authority (REMA) is holding football community competitions that serve as forums for raising
community awareness on combating air pollution. The competitions are part of awareness activities that
precede the celebration of World Environment Week set for June 5, 2019, which will be celebrated
under the theme “Beat Air Pollution”.

The competitions targeted Gishwati-Mukura landscape, where various restoration activities have been
conducted to restore the previously degraded forests of Gishwati and Mukura as well as their
surrounding areas in districts of Rutsiro, Ngororero, Rubavu and Nyabihu.

Gishwati – Mukura the area, which was gazetted as a National Park in 2016 underwent serious
degradation in the last years resulting from human activities that include illegal mining, grazing for
animals, wood cutting and deforestation, poaching and other forms of human encroachment. The area
is being rehabilitated through the “Landscape Approach to Forest Restoration and Conservation” project
implemented by REMA.

During the competitions, the community is advised to considerably contribute towards fighting air
pollution, mostly through planting and protecting forests that play a vital role in purifying the air we
breathe. People are also encouraged to use clean energy for cooking such as gas, electricity or energy
efficient stoves; and also avoid burning the leftovers from the harvest, and instead turn them into
compost.

Additionally, instead of driving, people are advised to walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible, and most
use public transport rather than individual cars. For people owning cars, they are specifically called to
ensure the cars are well maintained, regularly inspected and keep the tires properly inflated.
The teams participating to the competitions are male and female teams from districts of Rutsiro,
Ngororero, Nyabihu and Rubavu that are champions of Kagame Cup competitions in their respective
districts.