SOUTHERN PROVINCE

MUHANGA — A group of 13 visiting Italian students have pledged to support Ecole Ahazaza Independent School.

The students who come from an Italian school, Andrea D’ozia High School, made the commitment during their visit to the Muhanga based model kindergarten school on August 28.

Ahazaza School, meaning future, is a model school in Muhanga district with both nursery and primary section. The school was founded in 2005 by Raina Luff, a former law professor at the National University of Rwanda (NUR). The Italian students donated scholastic materials, balls and had lots of fun with the toddlers.

"We shall encourage other students to visit and start up a students exchange and voluntary programme as a way of continued support to the growth of education in Rwanda,” said Giorgio Righetti, their team leader.

"The experience in Rwanda is great and worthy to learn of the new life, beauty and loveliness among residents after the genocide,” other visiting students pointed out in a group interview.

Luff said that the visit is part of implementing their government education programme and both schools have a twining and exchange programme.

"Our Rwandan pupils and the Italian students have been able to exchange cultural values and this richness in cultures is an addition to the material support provided by the Italian school administration,” she commented.

Calling on more Italian students to visit Rwanda, Luff added that the visit acts as an eye opener to the outside world. The students were accompanied by Fr. Don Nicolo Anslem.

As part of their ten-day tour, which ends today August 30, they also visited Murambi genocide site, Nyange School and Kabgayi Hospital.

Ends