The Pentecostal church in Gahanga Sector, Kicukiro District has pledged to use evangelism to raise awareness against gender based violence and drug abuse.

The commitment was made during their meeting with Police on June25. Over 400 members of the Pentecostal church attended the meeting.

Pastor Emmanuel Nyandwi, the senior pastor at the church, said: "Preventing crimes and ensuring safer and peaceful society is in our core norms, values and principles as a Pentecostal Church. This meeting is therefore important to remind us that what we do has something in common with the police work, which is to ensure safer and God-fearing societies.”

"Before anyone becomes a member of this church, they are Rwandan. Our role as church leaders is to teach them to fear God and that includes teaching them to be responsible citizens that follow the law and to be Christians who plays a significant role in the development of communities and the country in general,” Rev. Nyandwi said.

He pledged strong partnership between the church and Police to enhance the idea of community policing and to strive for the wellbeing of the people by raising awareness against drug abuse and gender based violence, the two high-impact crimes that are still common in societies.

Inspector of Police Hamdun Twizeyimana, the District Community Liaison Officer of Kicukiro, said the meeting is part of the ongoing anti-crime activities to explain to all Rwandans their role in identifying, fighting and preventing crimes through community policing.

Addressing the church members, IP Twizeyimana said that crimes like GBV, child abuse and other sexual related crimes are committed by people under the influence of illicit drugs, which is why fighting the vice of drugs, should be "over-emphasized.”

He thanked them for committing to building safer communities and pledged to support them in their awareness campaigns.

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