Agenda 2023 discussed during Rengera Umwana Club annual meeting at the Scolasticat Don Bosco Kabgayi

Usually, ‘RENGERA UMWANA’ the club that has been founded for the purpose of children’s rights protection in the Scolasticat Don Bosco Kabgayi gathers an annual meeting for the yearly evaluation and plan for the upcoming.  As the year 2022 is coming to the end, the club held an important assembly with its members to a deeply evaluate the achievements of the year 2022 and to plan the 2023 activities. It was a special assembly that was attended even by the Father Director of the activities of Kabgayi Oratory Fr. BASHEMEZIMANA Thierry.

In his opening remarks, Fr. BASHEMEZIMANA Thierry noted the importance of the club and how much it plays a crucial role for every child that comes to the Oratory services. He said: “We are very proud of this club and we are really thankful for the efforts of your activities. We can notice everything you do and the importance they brought to the children of this Oratorio. The Salesian Family all over the world collaborates and helps in his abilities everyone that supports the initiative to look after and take care of children. Children are the primary purpose of our mission.” He highlighted also the journey of Don Bosco and his intention when he first started to help vulnerable children. He noted: “Some of the street children that Don Bosco has helped, have become their successor. I am optimistic also that all those children you are helping out, will one day become good citizens, good Christians, and no doubt that they will turn and help others because of the kindness you are showing them.”

During the assembly, members highlighted that the protection of children’s rights is not only the government’s responsibility but a collective one. Everyone has to be concerned. “Although the government has done everything possible to ensure that the rights of children are respected, there are still gaps to overturn between violence against children, presence of vulnerable children, malnutrition, sexual abuse, child deaths, and child labor” Sano SABANA, one of the members added. It is still a collective responsibility to protect children in our community. “We must teach children their rights and responsibilities and let them know how the violence is done to them and how to avoid it so that it does not affect them, parents should know their responsibility to take care of their children and give them a proper education, in our capacity let us give our contribution and strongly support the actions of Don Bosco who fought for the children”.

Since 2018, ‘RENGERA UMWANA CLUB’ prepares different activities for children among them Identification of poor children, Official meal sharing with Abandoned and Poor Children, Mass sports, Youth Competitions (Games, Dances, Theatres, Comedy, etc.), African Children’s Day, Round table for advocacy, mobilization, and collecting of the schools’ kits and materials for vulnerable children, advocacy on children rights protection, etc. This will remain also the same in 2023 but the assembly has accepted to include environment protection activities next year because it has argued in the meeting that children need a safe environment to excel in, where climate changes causes will be mitigated much more. As for now, the Club counts on 25 members and is expected to increase in the upcoming time.