The Help Empower youth Today (HEYT) club has donated materials to veterans of Rugende who were disabled during the liberation struggle. The package included 5 metallic windows, 2 metallic doors, 5 bags of cement and scholastic materials for their children. They also made a monetary contribution to the veterans’ co-operative, Igisubizo cy’ amajyambere on Saturday.

Andrew Nkubito, a student and president of the club at Nu-Vision High School, described the experience as eye opening and rewarding for the students.

"We appreciate the sacrifice of the veteran soldiers and feel honoured to have a relationship with them,” Nkubito said, adding that students got a chance to know more about the liberation history.

Tega Rhoda, a club member, said she drew inspiration from the veteran soldiers and now felt more obliged to serve the nation.

"We are committed to playing our role towards empowering youth today because we feel it as our moral duty to serve this nation,” Tega said.

The writer is a student at Nu-Vision High School