A local non-governmental organisation in Kigali is training child domestic workers in practical skills and human rights to prevent abuse of their rights by their employers.

The training, conducted by Children’s Voice Today (CVT), is dubbed, "Child domestic work project”. It aims at protecting child domestic workers from hard labour and enable them access key services.

Speaking to the media, on Thursday, Omar Tony Nsengumuremyi, the CVT director, said, last year, after finding that domestic workers in the country faced various abuses, a project was introduced to identify the them and sensitise them about their rights.

"In this project, we help child domestic workers to assess their working conditions and those who are not satisfied with whatever they are doing are taken back into their families, others are empowered through different trainings,” Nsengumuremyi said.

He explained that the trainings include hair dressing, culinary art, art and crafts skills.

"The main challenge the programme is facing is the big number of child domestic workers that need the services, yet CVT is not able to support all of them. So we choose to help the most disadvantaged.

‘‘For example there are cases where girls are abused by their male employers, we treat that as a matter that needs immediate intervention,” he explained.

Denise Amahirwe, senior child protection specialist in Save the Children Rwanda, that backs the project, said their focus targets parents, where they sensitise them about the rights of children in particular.

She urged parents and employers not to involve minors in exploitative works.

Save the Children Rwanda called for tough laws against child abuse and committment to international agreements that protect children rights.

Trainees speak out

Florence Mukamurera, from Kamonyi District, was trained in practical skills. She left her home for domestic work at the age of 16.

‘‘After the training I am no longer treated badly since my employer knows that I am aware of rights.

"My boss was sensitised about children’s rights too, after which she advised me to invest my monthly salary into a small business. I invested the money in selling second-hand shoes and was given a one day off in a week to do this,” she said.

Emmanuel Ishimwe, from Huye District, trained in hair dressing and culinary art.

‘‘After my mother was imprisoned, life became difficult since we had no one to fend for us. This pushed me into domestic work, which was stressful with peanut earning,’’ he said.

Ishimwe added that he has started working in a restaurant, adding that he will not take the acquired skills for granted but rather use them to build a better future.

Last year, Children’s Voice Today trained 48 domestic workers and this year they will train 50 in Nyarugenge District.

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