GASABO - A group of 270 residents of Rusororo sector, Gasabo District, are attending a three-day training on how to fight HIV/Aids family planning methods.

The workshop which started yesterday at Kabuga Youth Centre was organized by Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA) in collaboration with Rusororo forum in charge of the fight against HIV/Aids and promoting family planning.

Participants include health councillors, religious representatives, local leaders and members of the civil society.

The chairperson of the forum, Reverend George Agaba, encouraged participants to sensitize and mobilize their fellow residents to avoid unprotected sex and go for voluntary testing in order to know their status.

"You should encourage residents to produce fewer children through the use of various family planning methods because this will enable them get better lives for their children,” Rev Agaba said.

He noted that the use of family planning will help the country to control the problem of overpopulation and achieve sustainable development.

Speaking to The New Times, Agaba who also initiated the Foundation of Peace Ministries said: "The main objective of this seminar is to bring on board stakeholders, especially religious representatives, because most of them think that practicing family planning is like killing someone.

This is not true because family planning prevents a woman from conceiving”.

He pointed out that training will help religious leaders understand the relevancy of the use of condoms and other preventive measures.

Agaba added that at the end of the training, participants will be given guidebooks with guidelines on how to prevent HIV/Aids and promote family planning in the country.

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