Rwanda’s first Love Campaign

Several non government organizations in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and Culture are involved in a one-month love campaign that started on February 1st, 2011. Several activities are geared towards spreading the message of love throughout the country. This Valentine’s Day Rwandan’s will spring out of bed, check their e-mails and walk out of their door ready to fall in love. Everyone is involved, from parents, grandparents, children, and vulnerable people among others. During the love campaign people across the country are expected to spread love messages to one another.According to Beatrice Gakuba the CEO of Rwanda Flora S.A.R.L the love campaign focuses on the celebration of love throughout the month of February. “Our target audience for the campaigns includes the Civil society, corporate sector, public sector, Diplomatic missions, UN agencies, international and local NGO’s, youth organizations and all religious denominations,” she said. The campaign theme, “feel it, share it and spread it” is a social initiative that will promote and cement love among the Rwandan society which was torn apart by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi 16 years ago. Goreth Muteteri, 25 years is a receptionist at Best Haircuts Saloon in Kigali town who said she will seize on the opportunity of love campaign by really celebrating love this Valentine’s Day. “I really support the campaign because it is beyond the thinking of all those people who believe that Valentine’s Day is all about meaningless cards and teddy bears, red roses, holding hearts among couples,” she said.She promised to spread and share the love with all people during the love campaign. According to Karim Niyonsenga an Entrepreneur, Valentine’s Day has its commercial edge, but love the campaign has made it easier for the people to meet, interact and fall head over heels in love. “Love is so powerful that it doesn’t discriminate so lets us spread it and send a thunder bolt into the people lives and change their minds forever,” he said. Gakuba called upon Rwandans at all levels and the visitors in the country to commit themselves and show gestures of love during the month of February. During the love campaign, entertainment will be varied. Entertainers will sing to audiences through the night with a range of music from dancing to love songs, South African jazz, blues, funk, soul, salsa and African music. The band will feature Mutsali, Kim Thuita and Mighty people Black Diamonds from Kenya and special guests. The love campaign will be featured on Rwanda Television and it will even take place next year, the organizers are calling the public to give them views on what they would like to see being done for 2012. Churches and youth organization are also expected to host their own independent events aimed at spreading love messages to the people. The love campaign will conclude with a free charity concert where the proceeds from the concert will go to one of the orphanages that will be chosen by the stakeholders. Frank_kanye@yahoo.co.uk