Musungu

Children and youth ran to us and shouted”musungu”(white) on our school visits. They wanted to greet us as well as test if the white color on our skin could come off. Traditional song and dance was next on the program, where we also had to join. On some visits we were in the front of the whole school so that we could tell about ourselves and about the youth delegate program in Red Cross. The youth had some questions as well, for instance if we are married. When we told that we are not married, they asked if we were going to be nuns since we already are 26 and 27 years old. There were also questions about Norway, and the differences between Red Cross in Norway and Rwanda. We answered that even if the countries and national societies are different; they both have many activities and focus areas in common, for instance sexual health, international humanitarian law and children in vulnerable situations.

Tailoring school

The 2005 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS-III), shows that 29 percent of women and 22 percent of men in Rwanda have never attended school. The percentage of those who have completed primary school is 8% for men and 7% for women. And then only 2% of men and 1% of women have completed secondary level education.

Reasons why some children and youth drop out of school can be that they can’t afford school-fees, or that they haven’t passed the required examinations for secondary school. Rwanda Red Cross focuses on the importance of going to school. Because of this, some of the children and youth get school fees and books sponsored by Rwanda Red Cross. Others get free vocational training such as tailoring, carpentry or welding. The youth we visited in tailoring school was pleased with the education, but told that they were worried about how to pay for a sewing machine after the education.

Red Cross youth groups in school

On our school visits we also greeted the Red Cross youth group. Most of the secondary schools in Rwanda have a Red Cross youth group with volunteers. The groups support people with different social needs, for instance orphans or persons living with hiv and aids. The groups also arrange different activities for pupils in school, such as football matches, poem competitions or theater. Thereafter they inform about the principles of Red Cross, and discuss about hiv, malaria and hygiene. One of the work tasks we as youth delegates will have is to participate and support the groups in their arrangements and in planning for their future actions in the village.