A national volunteer programme for students who have completed high school will give priority to eliminating breeding grounds as part of efforts to fight Malaria.

The national voluntary service, dubbed Urugerero, will also play a role in sensitising citizens about hygiene, among other health-related activities.

The volunteer period is relatively a year – the length of a vacation as they wait to join university. The students participate in shifts.

Boniface Rucagu, the chairperson of National Itorero Commission, that coordinates the volunteers service, said that the idea is to make Rwandan youth grow physically and mentally through hard work and creativity while also upholding positive values.

He made the remarks during a consultative meeting with other partner institutions, to discuss the preparation for the fifth intake.

"Since our country’s sustainable development leans on the youth, investing in activities like these that shape a productive and responsible youth is vital. We, therefore, call upon the youth to own this process and give their best during the service,” Rucagu said.

Rucagu also urged the stakeholders in the local government from cell up to district leadership to stay close and orient the youth on the different activities to be undertaken to make sure they yield expected benefits.

The first semester of the national service will start on January 25 to March 31, 2017. The second semester will start on April 17 and runs to June 30.

The third semester will start with the induction of those joining institutions of higher learning at a date that will be determined later, according to NIC.

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