A local cultural dance group, RwaMakondera left the country Tuesday for Holland to represent the continent in the Via Del Mondo festival scheduled to take place in Tilburg, Holland.

The dance troupe is composed of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. According to its founder Colin Sekajugo, the children will stay in Holland for twenty six days.

"They will be participating in the festival and later tour the country. It will be like an exchange programme where they will meet and interact with other children from different parts of the world,” said Sekajugo shortly before their departure from Kigali International Airport.

Via Mondo Festival will be hosting the best team from each continent.

Sekajugo added: "There were 11 applicants from across Africa and our dance troupe was selected to represent the continent for this festival...it is a pride to be able to represent Africa in Holland and a big achievement for the children.”

One of the dancers Phillipe Mugisha said: "We are very excited to go for this tour because we will be able to showcase our culture to the world. I hope to learn from other children that I will meet during our visit.”

RwaMakondera programme manager Paradais Winslet said the children have been performing in different events in the country and will continue to do so after their European tour.

"We believe in them. This is just a start and soon they will be in festivals across the globe representing us and our culture,” said Winslet.

RwaMakondera is a brainchild of Ivuka Art and it is committed to helping the children develop skills and confidences that will allow them to grow in self appreciation and in believe for a better future for them and the country.

Via Del Mondo is organised by Mundial Productions and targets groups and individual artists from developing countries.

The festival is aimed at giving artists from developing countries access to the international cultural market and to reinforce support for international cooperation.

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