milk, a national treasure

In Rwanda, cattle reign supreme. In a neighborhood bar in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, consumers have no choice: here, only very creamy milk is served. And customers are drinking those huge pints of milk at breakneck speed. “For me, it’s impossible to go a day without drinking milk. I like it more than food”entrusts John Nsengumuremyi, a regular at the milk bar.

This milk bar is far from being an exception in the country. There are several hundred in the capital alone. This strong demand is the result of a policy launched in 1994, in the aftermath of the genocide. Cows were imported from the Netherlands and Switzerland to revive the economy, and particularly breeding. In the years that followed, more than 400,000 animals were distributed free of charge to the poorest families. Another objective of this program is to fight against malnutrition. In addition, the government also distributes free milk in schools.