KAYONZA – Miriam Nyiransengiyunva, a primary four pupil at Nyamiyaga Primary School in Kayonza District, on Thursday received cash and other prizes after winning in an international arts competition.

The 14-year-old girl emerged one of the winners in the international Children’s Art Competition for 2009, an annual event organised by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

Nyiransengiyunva’s winning design, featuring one group of children playing and another studying, was ranked among the best 14, from the 120 short listed drawings.

The prizes which included Rwf 56,000 and school material worth Rwf 112,55O were handed over by the WFP Country Director for Rwanda, Abdoulaye Balde.

WFP also donated an assortment of items that include a computer, a cow, hoes, water tank, rakes, watering cans and wheel barrows worth Rwf 1.9m to the school.

Addressing hundreds of students, teachers and parents, Balde, promised WFP’s support towards the school’s long term feeding programme.

"Much as we have been helping you with food to feed the children, we promise to help you start your own farms, so as to feed your pupils even in the absence of WFP,” he said.
The district vice Mayor, Anita Mutesi, emphasised the importance of educating children.

"Miriam has brought fame to the family and the whole village. Suppose you never sent her to school, you wouldn’t be smiling. Let every child go to school, if you want to see success in the future,” she advised.

The girl who was all smiles told the audience that she aspires to become a medical doctor in future.

"I will strive to acquire all the necessary knowledge to enable me become a doctor,” she said.

Only five drawings managed to be short listed and submitted to the competition judges in Rome, Italy from over 150 designs sketched by students from Rwandan schools.

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