In partnership with the Karongi District and Ruganda sector churches, on 10th August 2023, Caritas Rwanda through the USAID Igire_Gimbuka Program conducted a community mobilization to raise awareness on GBV and teen pregnancy prevention. The message was delivered through sermons, football matches, and SRHR club presentations under the theme: “Preventing GBV: Begins with Me”
This community mobilization had the following objectives:
-Raise awareness of the problem of gender-based violence by informing participants about the different forms of GBV, its impact on survivors, and the importance of prevention.
-Partner with faith-based organizations to raise awareness of the importance of abstinence, prevention of GBV, and protection from child defilement, all of which contribute to the problem of teenage pregnancy.
-To challenge harmful social norms and attitudes that perpetuate violence against individuals based on their gender
-Raising awareness about available services for GBV survivors, counselling, legal aid, and medical assistance.
Inform men and boys that gender-based violence is not just a female problem, and involve them in campaigns as allies in preventing violence by challenging traditional gender roles and promoting positive masculinity.
In her sermon, evangelist Mukankuranga Jacqueline from the ADEPR church, one of the guests, testified how she started taking drugs at the age of 9 and later became a sex worker at the age of 12. But one day she heard the word of God, which turned her away from evil. She called on families to avoid domestic conflicts, which are sometimes at the root of children’s bad behaviour and urged teenage girls to say no to men who want to sexually abuse them.
During this community mobilization, the District RIB Chief Investigator in Karongi District Kamari Rémy explained the various forms of GBV and how the GBV survivor can get support.
As for Ntakirutimana Jean, the Deputy Chief of Party of the Igire-Gimbuka Program, he called on people to love each other, men to love their neighbours’ children like theirs, and avoid abusing children.
The day was marked by dances, poems, and friendly football matches, where the message focused on GBV and teenage pregnancy prevention, under the theme: “Preventing GBV: Begins with Me“.
Rubona Cell Girls Football Club eliminated the Rugobagoba Cell Girls football club with 1-0 goals in the competition prepared for this community mobilization on GBV and teenage pregnancy prevention.
The Rugobagoba Cell Boys soccer club won the competition with a goal to nil over the Kabingo Cell Boys soccer club. The two winning clubs (girls and boys) received a prize of Frw 200,000 each, while the second-place teams (girls and boys) received Frw 100,000 each. The competition brought together 16 soccer clubs from 8 cells in the Rugabano sector, including 8 girls and 8 boys’ teams.
