The congress presided over by Nyarugenge District Executive Administrator (DEA) Emmy Ngabonziza, brought together youth coordinators from cell to district level in Nyarugenge.
Present was also the national youth volunteers coordinator, Abdallah Murenzi, as well as the Police, the army and the National Youth Council representatives.
There are about 9,553 members of youth volunteers in Nyarugenge District. Countrywide, the youth group has over 300,000 members.
While speaking during the congress, the Nyarugenge DEA thanked them for taking the lead in building their country.
“Everything you do has an impact to the direct beneficiaries and a channel to further build your country. You are setting the tone for other young people to follow,” Ngabonziza said.
Nyarugenge youth volunteers dedicated the month of October to community security and development activities.
Thus, their activities focused on raising awareness against lawlessness, community education on healthy feeding, environmental protection, welfare and community development, among others.
They also built two houses and renovated two others as well as 11 toilets for disadvantaged families; constructed 480 organic gardens to fight poor feeding and educated 741 families on healthy feeding; and planted about 1200 trees.
Currently, they are also constructing three other houses for less privileged families in Nyarugenge.
{{Fighting COVID-19}}
During the youth volunteers’ month, they donated about 600 facemasks and conducted awareness campaign on government directives and safety practices for the pandemic containment.
So far, about 370 youth volunteers in Nyarugenge are stationed at 21 sites in markets, bus terminals, stations and in other public places. They support Rwanda National Police in monitoring the implementation of practices meant to prevent further spread of COVID-19 such as physical distancing, hand washing and wearing face masks, among others.
The national youth volunteers coordinator, Abdallah Murenzi, said that countrywide, the youth volunteers activities in the month of October are worth over Frw500 million with over Frw12 in Nyarugenge District alone.
“You cannot equate the value of volunteerism. The value of what you do is found in how it contributes to our country’s progress on security and development fronts,” Murenzi said.
He urged them to be defined by the values of discipline, patriotism, fighting corruption and influencing positive behavioral change.
“Changing the criminal behaviors of drug dealers and abusers, subscribing to health insurance, healthy feeding and healthy living… all spearhead peer teaching and learning. This is what you should strive to do as youth volunteers.
You would not be pleased if wrangles in your communities become fatal or if young people there become drug addicts,” said Murenzi.
The District Political and Civil Education Officer (DPCEO) for Nyarugenge, Inspector of Police (IP) Shadrack Munyakazi lauded the role of youth volunteers in crime prevention activities.
“Your activities have set roots in fighting and preventing crimes through awareness and information sharing on wrongdoers,” IP Munyakazi said.
He added: “Your spirit of volunteerism defines a disciplined and patriotic young people. This is a culture that should be inherited by generations to create a solid branch of our country’s sustainable security and development.”
He urged them to give much emphasis to fighting drugs, GBV, child abuse and corruption, among others.
