Financial institution of Kigali (BK) has launched the inaugural BK Wellness Competition 2026, a four-day initiative bringing collectively well being consultants, nutritionists, health professionals and wellness companions in a transfer geared toward selling worker well-being whereas encouraging more healthy life.
Held at Kigali's Automotive Free Zone on Wednesday, July 29, the competition provides well being screenings, vitamin counselling, health periods and exhibitions by wellness companions whereas primarily concentrating on BK staff, the competition can also be open to clients and members of the general public.
The initiative comes as Rwanda faces a rising burden of non-communicable illnesses (NCDs), a lot of that are linked to life-style elements similar to poor vitamin, bodily inactivity and extended sedentary work. Talking throughout the launch, officers highlighted that office wellness programmes have gotten more and more necessary in stopping lifestyle-related illnesses whereas enhancing productiveness and decreasing long-term healthcare prices.
Rose Ngabire, Financial institution of Kigali's Chief Operations Officer and Chairperson of the Occupational Well being and Security Committee, stated the competition displays the financial institution's dedication to creating worker wellness a strategic precedence. “We’re launching the BK Wellness Competition as a result of we consider wellness is a holistic journey. We now have introduced collectively a lot of our companions to assist individuals find out about wholesome consuming, train and higher life-style selections,” Ngabire stated.
She stated the initiative is a part of the financial institution's broader occupational well being and security programme, which incorporates consciousness campaigns on wholesome consuming, psychological well-being, office ergonomics and bodily exercise. In accordance with Ngabire, the financial institution additionally promotes more healthy office habits by encouraging staff to keep away from extended sitting, use standing desks the place doable and search skilled steerage on sustaining wholesome life.
“We all know we can not obtain the targets of the Financial institution of Kigali with out caring for our well being, our minds and our bodily well-being. If our persons are wholesome, our organisation turns into stronger and contributes extra to nationwide improvement,” she stated.
Ngabire stated greater than 800 staff are anticipated to profit from the initiative, including that opening the competition to clients and the broader public displays the financial institution's need to contribute to more healthy communities past its workforce.
Flora Nsinga, the financial institution's Chief Individuals and Tradition Officer, stated worker well-being is embedded within the establishment's office tradition. “Selling well being and well-being is not only about as we speak's occasion. It’s one thing we worth each single day and types a part of our dedication to making a office the place our individuals can thrive each personally and professionally,” she stated.
She added that the competition gives a chance for contributors to find out about wholesome dwelling whereas strengthening social connections via wellness actions.
Prevention stays the most effective medication
Albert Tuyishime, Head of the Division of Illness Prevention and Management on the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), stated employers have an necessary function to play in stopping non-communicable illnesses via office wellness programmes.
In accordance with RBC, 17 p.c of adults in Rwanda have hypertension, one in 5 adults is overweight, and 61 p.c report not participating in bodily train at the very least as soon as every week—all key danger elements for NCDs. He recommended Financial institution of Kigali for investing in worker wellness, noting that more healthy staff are usually extra productive whereas serving to establishments scale back future healthcare prices.
“We want we might have many extra occasions like this throughout the nation as a result of they contribute to the well-being of our inhabitants,” Tuyishime stated.
“Prevention begins with easy selections similar to being bodily lively, consuming extra vegatables and fruits and altering our day by day habits. By stopping illness, we additionally scale back the big prices of remedy later.”
Workers welcome simpler entry to well being providers
Workers who attended the competition welcomed the chance to entry preventive healthcare providers at their office.
Yves Ishimwe, a Financial institution of Kigali worker, stated demanding work schedules typically go away staff with little time to prioritise their well being. “More often than not we’re within the workplace serving clients and have little time to take care of ourselves or train. This competition brings well being consultants and wellness providers nearer to us,” he stated. “We’re capable of obtain well being screenings, skilled recommendation and sensible steerage on more healthy life-style selections that we’d hardly ever entry throughout our regular work schedule,” he added.
