Strive Foundation Rwanda in partnership with the National Commission for Human Rights-Rwanda on the 16th/06/2023 celebrated the day of an African child in Rusizi District-Nkombo Sector on the theme “The rights of the child in the digital environment”. The day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges and issues faced by African children, including access to education, healthcare, protection from violence, child labor, child marriage, and other forms of exploitation. It is also a time to celebrate the resilience, talents, and potential of African children.
The event also included showcasing different science innovations and talents from students of GS St. Peter Nkombo and awarding the paramount and creative students who included both girls and boys.
The aim of the event was to draw attention to the needs of African children and advocate for their rights, while also fostering dialogue and collaboration among governments, civil society organizations, and communities to address the challenges they face.
The Executive Director of Strive Foundation Rwanda reminded the congregation about the rights of children and how they must be protected, he also went ahead and acknowledged the efforts of the government of Rwanda towards child protection. “As Strive Foundation Rwanda, we have always been at the forefront of protecting the child in partnership with the government and other stakeholders like Human Help Network-Germany, we occupy 7 sectors of Rusizi (Bweyeye, Butare, Nyakabuye, Nkungu Gihundwe, Nkanka and Nkombo Island itself, and we have educated a large number of vulnerable students plus supporting them in different life needs like housing support and its package, medical insurance, and solving other related social challenges, he said! He added that the initiative continues of identifying the most vulnerable families and giving them the best support.
In her speech, the guest of honor the President of NHRC Madam Mukasine Marie Claire, reminded all the participants of the real concept of the Day of the African Child and the background of the day, “The Day of the African Child was established by the Organization of African Unity (now known as the African Union) in 1991 to honor the courage and sacrifice of those students and to highlight the ongoing challenges faced by African children of 1976 Soweto Uprising in South Africa who were killed and injured after the protest against the inferior quality of education and the use of the Afrikaans language as the medium of instruction.
She also reminded children that they are the future of the country and those in schools to be creative and innovative during this digital error and embrace science and technology because it’s the ultimate approach to a country’s forthcoming development but also hazardous if misused by the public mostly by the young generations and therefore they should be curious about the possible risks and how to prevent them.
