By Elie Mutangana

Rwanda Guides Association in collaboration with authority of Kayonza District provided school materials, school feeding feesto vulnerable girls at G.S Kabarondo B, and equipped the “Girls ‘Room” known as “IcyumbaCy’umukobwa” with hygienic materials for cutting scourges impending girls from perusing their education.

Aline Murekatete, Executive Director of Rwanda Guides Association said that the objective is to drive positive impact on communities for leaving the world a better place that found.

In that regard, supporting girlsin Kabarondo is part of the unending initiative of the association, for promoting parity in education and assisting parents and the government in improving girl’s education.

Guides association gives hygienic materials to girls in Kayonza to improve their education.

“We paid school feeding fees for five girls, schools materials including notebooks and pens to five girls and provided hygienic materials such as; sanitary pads and soapsfor ‘Icyumbacy’Umukobwa’. All these aim at ensuring safe learning conditions for a girl.”

Josiane Mukamwezi, a mother of four, whose daughter benefited from the support acknowledged that she grappled with providing sanitary pads to her daughter owing to her weak purchasing power.

She said he situation ‘could eventually prompt the daughter not to attend school during herperiod’.

“I was always puzzled every month when she asked me money for pads. I am now heartfeltly thankful to Girls guides for relieving me”.

 “IcyumbaCy’umukobwa” on keepin girls in school.

BwumbuguzaNkurikiye, Head master of G.S Kabarondo B highlighted significant importance of “Icyumbacy’Umukobwa” on girls studying at his school since they introduced it.Among the yields from it include; improvement of attendance, comfortability and confidence among girls.

According to FortuneeUwimana, a student from G.S Kabarondo, who received school materials recounted that havingthe room in the school has taken away complications and helped overcoming uncertainties associated with girls’ period, hence granted a bit relief to the parents.

“Given that I have other sisters, it weighed on our parent to provide us pads for using during at school and out. But now, we hail that we find them at school which is definitely essential. Periods often comes unprecedentedly.It challenges when nowhere to wear pads or change it, but now we no longer having such worries”. Shesaid.

However, Innocent Ntaganda, Director of Education unit in Kayonza District said that although the government started the “Icyumbacy’umukobwa’ to keep girls in school, the budget for the program is still limited, making schools to seek support from civil societies to bridge the gaps in the program including lack of enough materials.

“Due to having much number of girls and with different period dates, we often run out of materials which we call the government for increasing the budget for the materials as it has increased efforts in constructing the Girl’s rooms”. He said.

Girls in school are performing well in Kayonza.

Ntaganda, on behalf ofKayonza district expresses gratitude to the unwavering support from partners in education including Girl Guides association for helping to empower girls in the district.

He highlighted the success made in cutting disparities between boys and girls in education. With the efforts, the participation of girls in school has exponentially increased, at the extent it surpassed that of boys.

“In the statistics we have, notably in secondary schools, the number of girls in school stands at 58 percent while boys hold 42 percent. This proves changes”.

Strategically, awareness made for educating parents on girl’s education played a critical role in the progress, leaving parents with realization on potentials in girls according to him.

“Parents used to think that only boys deserve to studyand girls not, but now, they have changed the mindset and knew that all children are equal.” Ntaganda said.