Dozens of youth with disadvantaged backgrounds had reason to smile yesterday after they were hosted to a fete organised by Amizero Care Foundation, a local NGO which normally caters for financially and psychologically affected youth.

The 55 youths included Genocide survivors, street children, and those whose parents are in jail, among others.

The Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Pelagie Muhayimana, said they receive the vulnerable youth through district officials, the Association of Student Survivors of the Genocide and the association of graduate Genocide survivors.

She said although they have not yet got any external support, the organisation is committed to contributing toward the welfare and rehabilitation of the youth.

"While other people are enjoying end of year festivities, we find it appropriate to bring these youth together to share with them the joy of Christmas,” Muhayimana said.

The feast was marked by dance performing, sharing meal, celebrating the birth of Jesus, and participants took the opportunity to mark the birthdays of those youths who do not know their dates of birth.

Marie Josee Umuziranenge, an orphan benefitting from Amizero Foundation since it started in 2013, said her father died during the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. Her mother also died later of breast cancer, leaving her with three younger sisters to fend for themselves.

"It was hard to adapt to that hard life, I had lost hope, but since the Foundation reached out to me, their counselling created hope and confidence in my life until I started thinking of q business idea,” she said.

"Amizero Foundation provided me with Rwf200,000 which I spent on fish business, although family problems keep challenging me yet I still have big dreams to become an entrepreneur,” Umuziranenge added.