By Samuel Ngendahimana (RWANDA)
Antoine Mukeshimana, 45, was born and raised on Sharita Island, a remote and high-risk area in the Rweru Sector of Bugesera District in eastern Rwanda. The island is situated in Lake Rweru, at the confluence of the Akagera River, a major tributary of the Nile River.
Sharita Island has long been isolated from the mainland, lacking access to basic infrastructure such as health facilities, roads, schools, electricity, clean water, and sanitation.
Mukeshimana is the second son of seven children—five girls and two boys. His parents, Ezekiah Nyirinkwaya and Dative Kabega, are both farmers. He stands as a living testament to the constant dangers faced by the island’s population, having survived a hippo attack that resulted in the amputation of his right leg.
Generations of Rwandans have lived on Sharita Island. Yet, the lack of modern services and the increasing risks associated with climate change, including floods, have exposed its inhabitants to numerous hazards and restricted their livelihood options.
To access essential services, residents must undertake an hour-long canoe journey to reach markets, healthcare facilities, and secondary schools, among other services. The unfiltered drinking water from the lake has caused persistent health problems among the residents.
On Sharita Island, the only substantial structure was a primary school. After completing primary education, students had to cross the lake to the mainland trading centre of Batima to attend high school, leading many to drop out.
In 2016, Sharita Island was home to 1,080 residents across 150 households, who earned a living by harvesting papyrus, farming, and fishing.
A Harrowing Experience
Mukeshimana’s life is a testament to the challenges of living on Sharita Island. A father of six, he now lives with disabilities after a hippo attacked him ten years ago.
The former fisherman and farmer recounted the harrowing incident: “It was March 19, 2014. I woke up early to find feed for my livestock and was accompanied by my neighbour, Athanase Biziyaremye, to cut papyrus for our cows. We each took small boats—Biziyaremye and I headed in the same direction, with me in the lead. As we navigated through a flooded papyrus plantation, my boat hit something unusual. Soon, I realized it was a hippo grazing on the banks.
I alerted Biziyaremye, who was nearby. He turned around just as the hippo rammed my boat, throwing me into the water and attacking me. I tried to swim, but the hippo pursued me relentlessly. When I reached the shore, the hippo lunged at my right leg, knocking me down and nearly killing me until I was too weak to fight back.
Once the hippo retreated, I called out to my neighbour for help. Although Biziyaremye had managed to avoid the attack, he stayed close to monitor the situation in case the hippo returned. He put me in his boat and alerted other residents. They quickly came to our aid and transported me to the mainland on a motorbike for urgent medical attention,” Mukeshimana explained.
Mukeshimana’s journey to recovery was fraught with difficulties. After neighbours helped him cross the flooded wetland to reach a health centre, he was transferred to Kigali’s University Central Teaching Hospital (CHUK) for advanced treatment.
Unfortunately, due to the severity of his injuries, doctors had to amputate his leg during his three-month stay in the hospital.
A Fresh Start After the Ordeal
In 2016, during the 22nd anniversary of Rwanda’s Liberation Day, Mukeshimana’s family was among the first 104 households—comprising more than 400 people—from Sharita and Mazane islands to be relocated and settled in the Rweru Model Village.
The hippo attack survivor and his family were provided with a fully equipped four-bedroom house, a water tank for clean water, a modern kitchen, and a lactating cow to supply milk for his children, among other amenities.
Settling in the new model village has renewed Mukeshimana’s hope. “Being relocated from Sharita was a major relief. After the hippo attack, I could not work and support my family. My life has drastically improved since the move. I now have a cow, my children can drink milk, and they saw electricity for the first time when we moved to Rweru Model Village,” Mukeshimana recounted.
He added, “My life expectancy has doubled. Living on the island was too risky. We were always afraid of hippos, floods, and death. The harsh living conditions exposed us to various diseases.”
Revisiting Sharita Island
On May 3, 2024, Mukeshimana and I (the photographer) returned to the island to document his former home in this high-risk zone.
So far, over 70 percent of the island’s population has been relocated to the Rweru Model Village, where residents now have access to clean water, electricity, healthcare services, schools, markets, and other amenities.
During our six-hour tour of Sharita, we observed firsthand evidence of the land continuing to serve as a food source for the nearby hippos. We traced hippo footprints and saw plantations destroyed by these aquatic animals. The remaining residents are urgently calling for further relocations to ensure their safety.
The relocation of Sharita residents has inspired the nation to address the needs of people living in high-risk zones across the country. In all 30 districts of Rwanda, model villages have been constructed for impoverished residents and those living in hazardous areas.
Each year, on July 4—Liberation Day—the country not only celebrates the anniversary but also inaugurates new model villages and hands over hundreds of housing units to residents.
This EverydayNile story was supported by InfoNile, MICT and FOTEA with funding from the IHE-Delft Water and Development Partnership Programme, JRS Biodiversity Foundation and GIZ, on behalf of the German Federal Government.
