The East African Community has discovered that Social media can help in boosting its visibility while at the same time raising awareness of the integration process among EAC member countries.
Today, a Part of winners of social media users for EAC integration came to Rwanda to launch a facebook page under the name “Connect, Vuka Boarder” that will help in raising awareness on Integration process especially among Youth community.
“Connect, Vuka Boarder” was first launched by Kenyan students of EGERTON University in 2010.
Speaking to IGIHE, Chege Kamau from Kenyan Ministry of EAC said that the creation of “Connect, Vuka Boarder” was due to the fact that about 85% of Kenyan students were using social network so the page was targeting that community to raise awareness on integration among Kenyan students.
“We started with 15 Universities in Kenya, our aim was to sensitise youth about EAC integration process. In about three months, about 95 000 youth in Kenya were posting their ideas about the process.”
Chege said that over 50% of EAC communities are youth adding a great number of them use social media. “So we can use these opportunities to involve them as academicians to critic policies of EAC.”
“We want to create a team in Rwanda that will help to raise awareness among Rwandan Youth who use social media,” Chege said.
On behalf of Rwanda, Jean Pierre Niyitegeka, Advisor to the Minister of EAC said that the integration process is people centered.
Rwanda has been senstising women because they form a large part of population.
Although other groups were sensitized, Rwanda recognizes that “Educating women is to educate the whole society” Niyitegeka added.
The Ministry of EAC has developed a Magazine that will be publishing all information about EAC to keep people informed about the integration process within the community.
He thanked them for launching “Connect, Vuka Boarder” in Rwanda adding that the move will involve Rwandan Youth to discuss the EAC integration Process.
Leave a Reply