1,000 students attend Imbuto holiday camp

Nine hundred fifty-nine secondary school students from across the country have started a three-day holiday camp that seeks to empower them on various issues.The camp is organised by Imbuto Foundation and targets young men and women sponsored by the Foundation through its education scholarship project.Those attending the event also include about 98 adolescent girls and young women reintegrated into school under the Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women project (EEAG&YW) co-implemented by Imbuto Foundation and the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion.The annual holiday camp, which opened yesterday in Huye District, is being held the under theme, “Edified Generation,” with the slogan “Begin with an End in Mind.”Radegonde Ndejuru, the Foundation director-general, said the camp seeks to inspire and empower the youngsters to pursue their cherished ideals with dignity.Each year, the Foundation sponsors about 1,000 students drawn from vulnerable families that cannot afford tuition fees but have good grades and are disciplined, Ndejuru said.“Through this Holiday Camp, we monitor their school performance and discuss various issues affecting their daily lives,” Ndejuru said.“We also expose them to vital information that could inspire them in their future lives and give them an opportunity to exchange with successful young individuals to share their experiences and engage them on realities of life and their careers.”Paul Mvuyekure, a senior five Computer Science student at Ecole Secondaire Rubengera, Karongi District, said the annual camp is helpful to them.The 19-year-old student, who is attending the camp for the fourth time, said he had gained a lot of skills and experience through the gatherings.“The camp equipped me with life skills that I really needed to move on successfully in life,” Mvuyekure said.“They also gave me a wonderful opportunity to deepen my understanding of patriotism, work, job creation and the quest for development. I believe the skills will help me transform my life and remain a role model for other youths.”Valentine Ndacyayisenga, of Gashora Girls Academy and a beneficiary of the scholarship programme, said the camp has enabled him acquire a sense of leadership and instilled in him determination to work hard.

National

1,000 students attend Imbuto holiday camp