Beneficiaries of Imbuto Foundation scholarship have been told to effectively make use of the support they have received in order to ensure a bright future.

The call was made on Tuesday during the annual Imbuto Foundation Holiday Camp held from November 29 till December 1, at Groupe Scolaire Officiel de Butare in Huye District.

A total of 730 student beneficiaries of the Imbuto Foundation’s Scholarship Project from across the country attended the camp. The annual event takes place during school holidays.

The camp aims to equip students with extra-curricular knowledge such as civic education, inspirational practices, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, debate skills, reproductive health, among other life skills.

Assumpta Ingabire, the head of social, economic and development unit at Imbuto Foundation, said they focused on ensuring that students study with clear goals in mind.

"We want them to have planning skills, to be organised and disciplined. We believe that one cannot achieve anything if they have not set personel goals,” she noted.

Ingabire said Imbuto Foundation seeks to prepare the students for the job market.

"Instead of giving a fish to someone, you would rather teach them how to fish. That is why we bring various people in the holiday camp to inspire and give career guidance to the students,” she said.

Speaking about the opportunities for the school graduates, Rosine Urujeni, from Indigo Africa, told the gathering that her organisation worked with 23 art and craft cooperatives in the country. She informed them that starting next year Indigo Africa would have a programme for secondary school graduates that will teach them artwork for six months, free of charge.

Marie Merci Iradukunda, a senior five student in Collège Karambi, in Ruhango District said she was inspired by the job opportunities from Indigo Africa to engage in art crafts. "I like embroidery,” she said.

Iradukunda said the culture of saving was crucial for a better future.

"We can form a cooperative as youth and make small contributions within our means so that we build a better future. We can buy advanced sewing machines to make perfect products for the clientele,” she said.

Angelique Nayinganyande, a senior six student at Groupe Scolaire Officiel de Butare, said she opened a savings account while in senior two after Imbuto Foundation started sponsoring her education. The money she saved helped her afford various academic materials and transport fares.

She said she got knowledge about saving from a previous Holiday Camp.

"I have been saving little money. Now, I have Rwf80,000 on my account. I have a plan to run a rabbit project. It will help me earn some money as I wait for my examination results before joining University,” she said.

The Imbuto Foundation’s scholarship project was initiated in 2003, to financially support bright, but vulnerable students to pursue their secondary education. It has so far benefited to about 6,219 disadvantaged boys and girls, while aiming to maintain 1,000 students on the scholarship project every year.

The Huye Vice Mayor for Finance and Economic development, Cyprien Mutwarasibo, said students should have positive mentality.

"You should make the most of the opportunities that Imbuto Foundation gives you to study and ensure that you do something good that will benefit your country and society after finishing your studies,” he said. You should set good targets to achieve, but also better principles to be able to achieve them,” he noted.

This was the eighth time the Holiday Camp was being held since 2008.

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