Kigali City youth have vowed to play a major role in the nation’s socio-economic development. This sentiment was expressed yesterday during the launch of the ‘Youth Week’ festivities in Kanombe Sector, Kicukiro District. In an interview with The New Times, Innocent Bayingana, the Coordinator of Kigali Youth Forum, said they had signed performance contracts with the management of Kigali City Council, promising to carry out, among other activities, ‘Umuganda’ (communal work) around the three Kigali districts
Kigali City youth have vowed to play a major role in the nation’s socio-economic development. This sentiment was expressed yesterday during the launch of the ‘Youth Week’ festivities in Kanombe Sector, Kicukiro District.
In an interview with The New Times, Innocent Bayingana, the Coordinator of Kigali Youth Forum, said they had signed performance contracts with the management of Kigali City Council, promising to carry out, among other activities, ‘Umuganda’ (communal work) around the three Kigali districts
"Around 70 percent of the population in Kigali city is made up of young people. So we want this Forum to be active by working with other people in promoting all aspects of development, not only in Kigali but also countrywide” Bayingana explained.
He added that the forum will work to encourage the youth to be job creators instead of job seekers. It will do this by helping young entrepreneurs acquire loans from banks and other micro-finance institutions to start income generating activities.
Safi Ayinkamiye, a member of Twisungane youth cooperative in Nyamirambo, encouraged the youth to join cooperatives and associations. She said it would help them share information and experiences on how best they could become successful.
"I joined Twisungane two years ago when I was poor, but due to the business knowledge I acquired from my fellow members, I have finished constructing my own house” Ayinkamiye said.
Superintendent Morris Muligo, who is in charge of the Gender Based Violence (GBV) desk in the National Police, called upon the youth to fight against any kind of GBV in their respective work and residential areas.