In a continued effort to reduce the spread of HIV and address violence (GBV) among Rwanda’s most vulnerable youth, Caritas Rwanda, through the Igire-Gimbuka Programme, organised a one-day awareness campaign at the Iwawa Rehabilitation Center located in Rutsiro District on 18th June 2025. This initiative was conducted in partnership with Rutsiro District and Nyundo Diocese.
The campaign aimed to educate young people in Iwawa about HIV and GBV prevention and encourage them to undergo voluntary HIV testing and adhere to treatment if they test positive.
The campaign started with a holy mass where 41 young people were baptized, 5 received their first Eucharist, and other 31 received confirmation.
Messages of the day
Various speakers during this campaign delivered messages of hope, encouraging the youth to behave well even when they will leave the rehabilitation center and to voluntarily test for HIV and immediately adhere to treatment if they test positive.
Father Eugene Niyonzima, leader of the Pallottine Congregation in the Great Lakes Region and Belgium, and representative of COSUMAR (Conférence des Supérieurs Majeurs au Rwanda), comforted the youth in Wawa, reminding them that although people pass through hard situations that generate emotional wounds in their lives, or do bad things that make other people call them bad names, God writes the right things on crooked lines, with a pen called “mercy”. He added that as long as they have a repenting heart, God is ready to forgive and change them in a positive way.
The Coordinator of Iwawa Rehabilitation Center, Dr Jean Damascène Nshimiyimana, thanked the guests for visiting the youth living in Iwawa, bringing them spiritual food and various gifts that will help them live a better life. “I believe that medicine works when mixed together. Religion and evangelism play a major role in correction. We thank you for leaving the 99 sheep and coming to look for the lost one”, he added.
Commenting on the slogan often used at Iwawa “Saul became Paul”, Bishop Anaclet Mwumvaneza, President of Caritas Rwanda and Bishop of Nyundo Diocese, exhorted the youth to avoid behaving like Saul, who used to persecute God’s people, and become like Paul, who became an apostle.
Messages that were posted around the event urged the youth to undergo voluntary HIV testing so that they can know their status and adhere to treatment if they test positive.
During this campaign, Caritas Rwanda, through the Igire-Gimbuka Program, donated soccer equipment to two teams; Congo Nil Parish donated basketballs; and COSUMAR donated clothes and shoes (for the vulnerable youth in Iwawa), Bibles, various books and rosaries (for those who received the sacraments).
Igire-Gimbuka, is a 5-year program (2022-2027) implemented in the districts of Karongi, Nyamasheke, Rubavu and Rutsiro, thanks to funding from the American Government.