Bahoneza – Kinyarwanda, Rwanda Welfare, Social Welfare, Rwanda People, Nutrition and Diet, Rwanda Habitat, Living in Kigali

Police have noted that there cannot be maximum security in the country with the increasing family conflicts at present.

In a statement by Rwanda national Police (RNP) said that though it is its mission to make people living in Rwanda feel safe, involved and reassured, this mission cannot be achieved where family conflicts are becoming a major problem to security and threaten welfare of Rwandan families.

“Police has to play a major role to address these concerns and it requires full participation of the public. As a part of the community, Police is committed to work together with local leaders to resolve this serious problem that exist within the Rwandan social fabric,” states the statement.

The Police called for eradication of domestic and gender based violence for the better living of Rwandan families and said that these crimes violate human rights and are a big challenge to public safety and socio-economic development.

“In most cases the most vulnerable people such as children and women are the victims of such conflicts. They need protection and advocacy from their families as well as us,” they said.

Given the consequences brought about by family conflicts, Police has taken a proactive stance in dealing with the issue.

This has been accomplished through awareness campaigns and calling on the public to give timely information regarding any violent incidence that may arise from family conflicts which helps the Police to intervene at the right time and prevent crime.

Police has also time and again called on families in wrangles to seek arbitration from competent courts or conciliators before their disputes turn into serious criminal activities.

Police is collaborates with other security organs, local authorities, the civil society and the general public to combat domestic and gender based violence. They work hand in hand to deal with family conflict through Community Policing and information sharing.

Police has already established a cordial relationship with the public and there is a growing awareness that community involvement in crime prevention is essential to preserve security and prevent crimes.

The club ‘Twubake u Rwanda’ is a youth group that was formed in 2006 in Buvumo cell Mukura sector Huye district with the aim of passing on messages that concern peace, unity and reconciliation.

The president of this club Celestin Nsengiyumva was addressing the crowd of youth who had gathered at Irango play ground in February of 2012 to watch the football match between the villages of Buvumo cell said, “We are the strength of this nation and we are the future leaders. We cannot strive for peace when we do not have good health and there cannot be peace when we are hungry”.

Nsengiyumva message was aimed at encouraging the youth to work hard for national development and endeavour to strive for peace.

The club ‘Twubake u Rwanda’ passes on its massages of peace, unity and cooperation through various means like songs, drama, poems, sports, videos and many others.

The club ‘Twubake u Rwanda’ creates their own songs and plays which are documented and put of CDs and tapes then dispersed to various radio stations so that their messages can reach to the intended audiences. The club so far have done 36 songs 6 of which are already on CDs and being aired on various radio stations.

The club intends to start staging concerts whereby people will be paying money to attend those concerts so that the club can benefit and get a source of income to develop it.

The club ‘Twubake u Rwanda’ was set up way back in 2006 when local courts intended for settling genocide cases (Gacaca courts) started working. The club helped people to understand the importance of these ‘Gacaca courts’ through their reconciliation messages.

‘Twubake u Rwanda club’ is made up of 32 members and is being supported by IREX in form of materials to use and AMI that supports them with ideas.

Four Women in the Eastern district of Bugesera will be recipients of decent beddings courtesy of the Chief Gender Monitor Oda Gasinzigwa. She made the pledge after it was discovered that these women who sleep on beds made of lawn cannot afford to subscribe to a local association that has helped other women.

Oda Gasinzigwa

Dancille Nyiransabimana a would be beneficiary says women savings started by others in the area is beneficial but she cannot afford a  Rwf 500 contribution made every week due to poverty.

“Good sleep improves life and reduces stress because a person works with a calm mind. It also reduces bacterial infections caused by dust, and insects such as bugs,” says Nyiransabimana.

According to Gasinzigwa, the help extended to the women will not only be to provide mattresses alone, but they will also repair a hut for one of the women that is in a sorry state.

The Bugesera district Mayor Louis Rwagaju advised the women to maintain high levels of hygiene now that they have better places to sleep.

Women in Bugesera have formed an association bent at alleviating poverty among women through collectively kicking out lawn beds in their homes an numerous have benefitted from the effort.