KIGALI, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda poverty levels have dropped to 38.2 percent in Oct. 2017 from 39.1 percent in Oct. 2014, a survey of National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) released Thursday showed.
The fifth Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV 5) that was conducted between Oct. 2016 to Oct. 2017 by NISR also showed that extreme poverty levels in Rwanda reduced to 16 percent in 2017 from 16.3 percent in 2014.
The survey is designed to provide accurate and up-to-date information that guides the government to monitor and evaluate efforts and interventions aimed to reduce poverty in the country, said Yusuf Murangwa, director general of NISR at the release of the survey in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda.
According to NISR, the survey assesses demographic characteristics, migration, health, education, housing, economic activity patterns, environmental issues and households' access to credits and savings, among others.
"We look forward to using EICV 5 statistics to inform the country's policies and programs for prosperity creation. Our country's ambition is to ultimately move towards a poverty-free Rwanda," said Edouard Ngirente, Rwandan prime minister at the event.
The survey calls for doubling efforts by all stakeholders to end poverty and drive Rwanda's social and economic development, he said.
The Rwandan government will continue to enhance programs designed to support vulnerable groups in eradicating extreme poverty such as integrated rural development program Vision 2020 Umurenge Program (VUP), One Cow per Poor Family Program and other social economic programs run at the village level, he added.
Households with access to the internet, including through mobile phones, have almost doubled at the national level, increasing from 9 percent to 17 percent between 2014 and 2017, according to the survey.
