At 85 years old, George Bambanze’s extraordinary dedication to volunteerism is still unmatched. A resident of Nyabitare, Chahafi Town Council, in Kisoro, Bambanze has transformed his community and earned him the distinction of being one of the longest-serving active volunteers within the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS).
His journey of unwavering service has spanned thirty-four remarkable years. Bambanze’s path to becoming a celebrated volunteer began in 1990.
Originally a fisherman in Kaberamaido, eastern Uganda, he worked tirelessly to improve his livelihood by acquiring cattle.
However, his fortunes changed dramatically during the Alice Lakwena & the Holy Spirit War (1986-1997), when soldiers raided his village and took all his animals.
“Lakwena’s soldiers raided our village and took all our animals, including my cattle. With no means of survival, I dedicated my remaining life to serving humanity as a URCS volunteer. URCS volunteers were among the first responders who came to our aid after the raid, inspiring me to help others and make their lives better.” Bambanze recalls.
Motivated by the Red Cross humanitarian principles, Bambanze returned to his home district of Kisoro in southwestern Uganda during the first Rwandan Civil War in 1990. Many people flew to Uganda for refuge.
Seeing the urgent needs of refugees and asylum seekers from neighboring Rwanda, he proposed to locals, to establish a Red Cross branch in his community.
“I proposed forming the URCS Kisoro branch. I saw refugees arriving from Rwanda with no one to receive them, some with injuries needing timely basic first aid and a lifesaving hand.” Bambanze notes.
He cites some names of people who accepted to work with him to realise his dream. The names of people such as John Nturo from the local Ministry of Health office, and James Kari, another long-serving Uganda Red Cross Volunteer, Bambanze and his team faced numerous challenges.
“We had no permanent address; we met under trees and other places to strategize on how to support the vulnerable population.” Bambanze recounts.
Their efforts paid off when the URCS headquarters granted permission to form a local branch in Kisoro. This milestone brought immense joy to Bambanze and his team as they began mobilizing volunteers through schools, places of worship, and local communities, promoting the services and benefits of being a Red Cross member and volunteer. They worked hard and moved from one community to another, forming an army of Red Cross volunteers, and members.
Bambanze and his team expanded their support beyond refugees, creating school links and individual memberships. In a region prone to landslides, they educated people on safe farming and safe settlement practices, significantly improving community resilience and reducing the impact of disasters on families and their livelihoods.
“It gives me immense joy to walk through the community in my Red Cross visibility jacket, receiving unwavering love for the services I offer through the Red Cross. We support affected communities with non-food items, improve access to water and sanitation, and enhance knowledge on hygiene promotion. For three decades, we’ve positioned ourselves as first responders. Now, everyone in Kisoro knows what the Red Cross does, and this gives me joy.” Bambanze says.
Bambanze is married to Beatrice Nyirambonimpa (81), who has been a strong pillar in his work. “People call our home the Red Cross home. When disasters strike and people have nowhere to go, they come here. I always welcome them, offering shelter and food before directing them to the appropriate offices for further help.” Says Beatrice, with a smile.
James Kari (52), known as “Mzee Kari” a founding volunteer with Bambanze, reminisces, “Bambanze was a founding senior member. We walked over twenty kilometers to raise awareness about the Red Cross, recruiting members and volunteers to join us and form the Red Cross branch we have in Kisoro today. We started receiving refugees in 1990 and have been active ever since. It is fulfilling because we touch lives of people and give them hope.” Says Mzee Kari.
Bernard Imanishimwe, the Branch Manager of Kisoro, praises Bambanze’s dedication to humanitarian work. He emphasizes that during his tenure, no disaster has occurred without Bambanze presence to respond and serve the needs of the people.
Imanishimwe emphasizes confidence in Bambanze’s reliability, noting his punctuality, teamwork, and versatility.
“I have been motivated by how Mzee Bambanze works very hard with a big spirit to serving humanity. He’s always there among the first responders. He saves lives. We are proud of him and always motivated by his big heart of serving others.” Manishimwe adds.
URCS at 60 Years
With URCS marking 60 years of saving lives in Uganda, Bambanze suggests a decentralized celebration, with some festivities held in Kisoro to recognize URCS’s contributions in the region over the past 30 years.
John Tibiringira, former Kisoro branch manager (2006-2008), recalls, “Bambanze was always proactive and hardworking. Despite being older, he humbly followed my advice during our work.”
URCS operates 51 branches nationwide, with nearly 500,000 volunteers and members, showcasing its commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities.
On July 30, 1964, the Parliament of Uganda established an Act recognizing and incorporating URCS.
This year, the National Society celebrates its 60th anniversary. Through volunteers like Bambanze, URCS continues to reach and respond to any disaster at the community level.