WESTERN PROVINCE

RUBAVU — The minister of Youth, Protais Mitali has called upon local leaders to support youth in their respective districts to improve their living standards.

Mitali said this on Saturday during celebrations to mark the African Youth Day in Rugerero Sector.

Rwanda joined the rest of Africa to celebrate the day under the theme "Positive African Values, Peace and Solidarity”

The minister called upon the youth to fight against the genocide ideology, join hands through the formation of cooperative unions and to participate in the implementation of the government policies.

"You should be the kind of youth ready to use African values and the rich Rwandan culture and work hard towards solidarity and peace building,” he advised. 

He said that the government was doing everything possible to make the youth job creators rather than being job seekers by providing various technical training.

The minister also pointed out that the government was trying to improve the education system in the country to ensure Rwandan youth are capable of competing on national and international labour market.

He disclosed that the Youth Ministry will soon start supporting Rwandan youth financially to start up small scale business by helping them to access loans from the banks.

"The youth have been finding it difficult to access loans from some banks due to lack of collateral. The ministry is however, designing a (guarantee) fund that will work as security for the youth who will have got loans from such banks ,especially those in cooperative unions,” he explained. 

Mitali said that if the youth came together in cooperatives, there will be great opportunity to get support from key stake-holders including government, NGO’s, academic institutions, the private sector among others.

Earlier, the minister participated in community work at Gisa cell Rugerero sector during which the youth constructed houses for the disabled and vulnerable genocide survivors.

They also, planted trees and picked polythene bags in a bid to protect the environment. Jean Paul Mwunvaneza, one of the youth in the area, called upon his colleagues to strive hard against poverty.

"It is time we avoided idleness which has resulted in some of us getting involved in crimes such as smuggling and the use of drugs from the neighbouring town of Goma, and work hard toward the improvement of our living standards to contribute towards the country’s development,” explained Mwunvaneza.

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