Today, Saturday, November 30, the Institut Catholique de Kabgayi (ICK) took a significant step toward fostering national unity by hosting a training workshop for representatives of Unity and Resilience Clubs from select secondary schools in Muhanga District.
The initiative, organized in partnership with the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), aimed to equip participants with practical skills to strengthen the operations and impact of their respective clubs.
The workshop focused on enhancing participants’ abilities to organize activities, prepare detailed reports, and conduct impactful discussions under the “Ndi Umunyarwanda” program-a key initiative promoting Rwandan identity and unity.
Representatives from schools such as G.S Gitarama, Saint Joseph Kabgayi, G.S St. Marie Reine, and SFI Muhanga actively participated in the training.
Eric Mugema, the leader of ICK’s Unity and Resilience initiative, highlighted the importance of engaging young people in advancing the values of unity and resilience.
Eric Mugema, a leader of ICK’s Unity and Resilience Club
“We believe that instilling unity among young, educated individuals who can analyze history and understand its lessons is critical to building a harmonious Rwanda. This foundation must start within our schools,” he explained.
Mugema also outlined plans to expand the reach of Unity and Resilience Clubs by establishing them in schools that currently lack such initiatives.
“After this training, we will move to schools without these clubs and help create them,” he stated, emphasizing that these efforts are essential for sustaining national unity.
The training resonated strongly with participants, who praised its practical and transformative approach.
Claudette Nishimwe, a teacher from G.S Gitarama, noted that the workshop had equipped her with valuable tools for managing and improving club activities.
“I now know how to draft comprehensive reports, prepare discussions for the ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’ program, and organize group activities effectively,” she said.
Nishimwe emphasized the need for such initiatives, citing a lack of prior training as a barrier to the effectiveness of many school clubs.
“Workshops like these provide us with the knowledge and resources to better support the students we mentor,” she added.
Claudette Nishimwe, a teacher from G.S Gitarama
Similarly, Ishimwe Nabilla, a student representative from SFI Muhanga, expressed enthusiasm about applying the newly acquired knowledge to benefit her peers.
“These lessons will empower me to train others back at school, ensuring that everyone understands the importance of unity and the goals of the ‘Ndi Umunyarwanda’ program,” she said.
The workshop follows the 17th Unity Club Intwararumuri Forum held a few days earlier, which emphasized the need to strengthen Unity and Resilience Clubs nationwide.
The forum resolved to revise operational strategies and establish these clubs as permanent platforms for dialogue on challenges to unity and resilience.
By equipping young leaders with the tools to promote unity, ICK and its partners are not only addressing past challenges but also laying the groundwork for a future Rwanda defined by harmony, resilience, and shared responsibility.
