Musician to build youth centre

WESTERN PROVINCE RUSIZI — Rwandan musician, Narcisse Raphael Mitali commonly known as Natty Dread has committed himself to build a youth centre for street children and other vulnerable children in the Rusizi District this year. He disclosed this during an exclusive interview with The New Times over the weekend in Kamembe Sector. It would begin by hosting 70 children. “This district (Rusizi) is somehow in isolation due to its location and being far away from Kigali. So, that’s why I want to build a modern youth centre in the region this year in order to work with other government institutions in helping street kids and other vulnerable children to acquire free education,” he said. He added that the centre will also admit children from the neighboring districts. The centre to be built in Gisunzu cell in Mururu sector unit will be called Amahoro Youth and Cultural Village Rwanda. He said that the district has already allotted him land where the school will be built and the construction activities will begin between June and July after making feasibility studies at the site. The school, he said, will teach students various courses such as nature conservation, Eco-tourism, ICT, Agricultural development and peace studies. It will also teach vocational courses like carpentry, mechanical engineering, and welding among others. The school, he added, would promote gifted children in their respective talents. Natty said that they hope to open similar centres in other districts across the country in the future, and they will also construct a modern hospital and an Agricultural research centre in the area. He revealed that the construction of the centre will be funded by various partners from Jamaica, USA and others within Rwanda. Speaking to The New Times in a telephone interview on Sunday, the Mayor Fabien Sindayiheba welcomed the development saying, “I am really optimistic that the centre will help in reducing the number of street children in the region and that upon completion it will create employability for its graduates especially for the youth.” Ends