The Non-Governmental Organisation “Young Women Christian Association (YWCA)” organised a series of hygiene actions on 12 March 2022 in six sectors of Nyaruguru district. The aim is to make 10 private and public sites cleaner.
In Munini and Cyahinda sectors, YWCA volunteers cleaned the surroundings of the Tutsi genocide memorial sites. While in the sectors of Rusenge, Nyagisozi and Nyabimata, other teams built toilets, cleaned houses and set up enclosures belonging to vulnerable families.
YWCA staff also joined youths from Mutobu village, Uwacyiza cell, Muganza sector, to clean the area around the house of Tatienne Nyirabahizi and Faustin Bakundukize. These young people are gathered in mutual aid groups.
At the end of this action, the couple of Bakundukize and Nyirabahizi expressed their joy to have benefited from this free cleaning program.
“I am usually lazy. It is my wife who normally takes care of everything,” Bakundukize admitted. “But all these young people coming to my house to clean my house made me think. From now on, I will help my wife to keep our house clean and even improved,” promises Bakundukize.
According to Carine Akure, coordinator of YWCA activities in Nyaruguru district, all these initiatives are in response to the call made by the Nyaruguru district authorities. This was during the general assembly of the district partner’s forum gathered in JADF-Indashyikirwa.
“These actions are aimed at cleaning up private and public places and making life more pleasant. We are carrying out one of the recommendations of the last assembly of the JADF-Indashyikirwa forum held on 3 March 2022. The latter called for the involvement of NGOs in hygiene activities,” said Ms Akure.
Indeed, the Mayor of Nyaruguru district, Emmanuel Murwanashyaka, had called on partners to redouble their efforts to improve hygiene in the district.
Currently, in Nyaruguru district, the NGO ‘Young Women Christian Association’ provides training on reproductive health. It is also building the capacity of young people to manage micro-projects. More than 3,280 young girls and boys studying in 35 different schools have been targeted, according to Fred Iranyumva, coordinator of activities in the districts of Gatsibo, Bugesera and Nyaruguru.
Domice Gasarabwe & Gerard Rugambwa
