‘Inzira Nziza’ influences change in Save sector, as youth create positive initiatives
Upon the completion of the training, as young people went back to their societies, they started by identifying the daunting issues in their communities. Owing to what they had learnt during the training, they became keener on what happens in their communities, how it impacts the residents and how they can contribute their efforts in providing solutions. In the case of Save sector, the youth realized the lack of latrines and kitchen gardens in some households, challenges they thought impeded Government of Rwanda’s efforts to good sanitation and hygiene. So, they committed to build ten latrines and two kitchen gardens for the vulnerable families in their sector.
This gesture didn’t only improve the lives of the vulnerable families, rather also attracted the attention of local leaders – the National youth coordinator in Save sector, Balthazar Habiyambere, said that before the ‘Inzira Nziza’ project and the training, youth were not aware of issues in human rights or even their role in the decision making processes, and to some extent they felt excluded from raising their voices.
A similar initiative scaled up to other five districts like; Huye, Nyamagabe, Gisagara, Ngororero and Nyabihu, under a campaign dubbed ‘Birandeba’, loosely translated “it concerns me”. In the 5 districts, the youth repaired dilapidated houses for vulnerable genocide survivors, constructed schools and built 100 latrines for vulnerable families. All this was geared towards understanding the issues affecting their communities and playing their part in solving them.
“I’m not just a stakeholder, but a planner and partner to the local leaders”
Iraguha Delphine, one of the beneficiaries of Inzira Nziza project, and a student at University of Rwanda, Huye campus shares what she learnt from a roundtable discussion. “I’m not a stakeholder but a planner and partner to the local leaders” Iraguha said. Before attending Never Again Rwanda’s sessions, I had never been active in sharing my point of view and I was not interested in issues that matter to youth because I didn’t believe that my ideas would have a positive impact in my community.
More so as a woman, I didn’t think that I could comment or give any input on anything leaders said. However, after the discussions that we normally hold under Inzira Nziza project,, I learnt that it is my right and duty to raise my voice to what I think should be done in my community because I am the zest of good change. The attitude of being shy and unconfident has to end. Now I represent my fellow young Rwandans and I’m ready to represent them!