Gender Matters for Green TVET Project Trains Prenovices on Child Protection at Don Bosco Gatenga TSS

In an effort to promote gender equality principles and ensure child safeguarding, the Gender Matters for Green TVET project on Saturday provided training to about 20 people at the Don Bosco Gatenga Technical Secondary School (TSS). The training targeted 17 prenovices and 3 staff members responsible for discipline.

Facilitated by Father Jean Pierre Turabanye, the Director of Don Bosco Gatenga TVET school, the training aimed to enhance cooperation and capacity among members in the Prenovitiate and the Gender Matters for Green TVET project. The project’s overarching goal is to increase the enrollment of girls in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs.

According to Ms. Uzamureba Clementine, the Gender Officer for the project, the training is important for prenovices. They frequently interact with children through Oratory activities or other activities involving the children. Therefore, it is crucial for them to be aware of the children’s rights in order to effectively protect them.

She stated, “This training aims to foster cooperation and enhance capacity among members in the Prenovitiate and the Gender Matters for Green TVET project, which seeks to increase the enrollment of girls in TVET.”

In addition to the training, the project also extended support to four vulnerable young people who are currently enrolled in the Don Bosco Gatenga TVET school. This donation aims to provide much-needed assistance to these individuals as they pursue their education and skill development.

The Gender Matters for Green TVET project is making significant strides in promoting gender equality and child protection within the Don Bosco Gatenga TVET school. By empowering staff members and prenovices with the necessary knowledge and skills, the project strives to create a safe and inclusive environment for all students, particularly girls.

Through initiatives like this, it is hoped that more young girls will be encouraged to pursue technical and vocational education, thus expanding their opportunities for future success. The project’s efforts to ensure child safeguarding will undoubtedly contribute to the overall well-being and protection of students within the Don Bosco Gatenga TSS community.

In his testimony, Father Jonathan Ayaku, a Salesian who is responsible for the Prenovices, said “During the training, we discussed the program aimed at helping the Prenovices become familiar with the promotion of girls’ rights. As part of this initiative, we had the opportunity to participate in a child protection workshop where we learned invaluable information on safeguarding children. This included knowledge on protecting children from various forms of abuse in society, such as physical, moral, and sexual abuse.”

“But then we as educators, we discussed how are we supposed to relate with the young people? How are we supposed to relate with the girls at school? Because we are not supposed to run away from them, but instead to approach them. But whenever we are approaching them, what are we supposed to talk with them? It is in line with that that today we benefited from a formation that really helped us to know how we are supposed to relate with the girl child, how we are supposed to relate with all the young people who come in our community and we also benefited to know if at all there is a case of an abuse, what are we supposed to do” Father Ayaku added.