As part of its ECD project, funded by Plan Rwanda International, Caritas Rwanda organized a friendly football match between Rusenge Father Role Models and Gikunzi Father Role Models in Nyaruguru District. The Rusenge team scored 5 penalties against the Gikunzi team’s 4. This match was organized on March 18, 2025, to raise awareness among the parents on positive parenting focusing on the importance of fathers’ crucial role in the growth and development of their children.
After the game, local leaders and project staff delivered messages and posed questions to underscore the crucial role fathers play in the growth and development of their children. The winning participants received t-shirts as a token of appreciation.
During this match, both teams scored the same one to one, which led to a penalty shootout. After the match, Nsabumuremyi Janvier, the Early Childhood Development (ECD) coordinator in Nyaruguru District, recalled the six pillars of ECD, namely: (i) adequate nutrition, (ii) health, (iii) water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), (iv)child protection and inclusiveness, (v) readiness/ opportunities for early learning, and (vi) parenting education.
Mr. Nsanzumuremyi took this opportunity to call on fathers to play a role as well as mothers in ensuring the implementation of these six pillars. He thanked Caritas Rwanda and Plan International Rwanda as donors involved in ECD activities in Nyaruguru District, including maintaining ECD centers and homes, providing various necessary equipment, training caregivers, and assisting parents in providing food for their children in HBECD and centers.
After the match, there was also a question-and-answer session on the crucial role fathers play in the growth and development of their children, and the winners received t-shirts as a token of appreciation. In addition, trophies were awarded to both teams, since the primary objective was to raise awareness about positive parenting, not to compete.
A similar event was also held in Gatsibo District on 14th March 2025, and is scheduled to take place in Bugesera District on 21st March 2025, the two districts where the ECD project is being implemented in addition to Nyaruguru District.
