16 days of social activism include marches and speeches

(MissionNewswire) Salesians with Don Bosco Gatenga, located in Kigali, Rwanda, participated in 16 days of social activism to confront gender bias. At the end of this initiative, Salesians held a march to involve the community and highlight the message of the campaign. The march was attended by Don Bosco Gatenga students, residents of the surrounding areas including many women, members of the Young Women’s Christian Association, the local administration and the Rwandan National Police.

After the march, the participants met at Don Bosco Gatenga to listen to speeches focused on the elimination of gender violence. Uzamureba Clementine, who is responsible for promoting gender equality at Don Bosco Gatenga, highlighted one of the school’s projects “Gender Matters for Green TVET”. The project aims to promote gender equality in technical and vocational schools and improve the skills of young women, encouraging them to join professions traditionally reserved for young men.

Don Bosco Gatenga has been at the forefront of gender issues in the region. Since its beginning in 1976, the school has welcomed youth in need. The school helps to prepare youth for the future and teaches them employable skills so that they will be self-sufficient and help support their families and the community.

Don Bosco Gatenga also features a large farm that has 26 hectares of land. Ten of those hectares have already been cultivated for farming. The food grown helps to feed the students in the school. Don Bosco Gatenga has seen more and more children who are undernourished and malnourished coming to the center. The number of students from poor families who want to attend the school to learn employable skills has also increased.

Salesian missionaries provide a range of educational and social development services in Rwanda. Poor youth are able to access programs including health services, nutrition, education and general support services that help them to lead healthy productive lives.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39% of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people — 22% of the population — face critical food shortages.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Rwanda – A march to say no to gender-based violence

Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province

Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province Facebook

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

UNICEF – Rwanda