The best place for the child is the classroom

Children should be in the classroom learning, not in child labor video

Children’s Voice Today (CVT) in the partnership with the Save the Children International Rwanda under the financial support of the Save the Children International-Italy implemented the project called: “Preventing and Responding to the Unsafe Migration of Children in Rwanda” in four Rwandan districts including Nyarugenge and Gasabo district in the City of Kigali and in the Muhanga and Ruhango district in Southern province. The project goal was to reduce unnecessary family separation and unsafe migration of children from rural areas to urban areas in search for domestic work.

Nyarugenge and Gasabo during the project implementation considered as receiving districts while Ruhango and Muhanga district as sending districts of children for the sake of work.

Children’s Voice Today (CVT) have created children’s grassroots groups at the community level and empowered children to lead, learn, decide and implement their own activities that promote children’s rights with a focus on advocating issues that affect them.

CVT also organized trainings, press conferences, roundtable discussions, campaigns, study tours, Radio and TV shows to advocate and respond to the issue of Child Domestic Workers(CDWs) and children who were at risk of unsafe migration or to be involved in different child labor.

UMCR Project‘s Documentary Video Subtitles

~ Poem

UMCR Project Review Meeting

Philippe Adapoe-Country Director -Save the Children International Rwanda

Ndibuka neza ko imibare iheruka gushyirwa hanze n’ikigo cy’igihugu gishinzwe ibarurisha mibare ivuga ko nibura abana 300 bakoreshwa imirimo ivunanye.

Children’s Voice Today in partnership with Save the Children, we are implementing the project called: ‘Preventing and Responding to the Unsafe Migration of Children in Rwanda’.

We work in four different districts including Nyarugenge, Gasabo, Muhanga, and Ruhango district.

Awareness-raising on the child rights

Children’s rights start from the time of conception, while child is an embryo, a child has the right to life, right to be protected, has the right to the be cared and has the right of being preserved in the life.

Training of Inshuti z’umuryango/IZUs (Friends of family) 

Inshuti z’umuryango/IZUs (Friends of family) even though they have been working and are currently known, and, moreover, working with SEDO and Village leaders, will add another value and force. They are going to appreciate not working alone.

We made children’s grassroots groups and now we have 250 children working in those grassroots groups.

In some villages, many children went back to school and the rest are requesting to go back to school. So, we are planning to meet with local leaders and headteachers in order to help those children to go back to schools.

Training of CVT children’s grassroots groups representatives

This training was organized by ‘Children’s Voice Today or Ijwi Ry’Umwana Uyumunsi in Kinyarwanda’ with the aim of building the capacity of children with regards to preserving their rights.

What I got from this training, they are so many, and furthermore, in summary, it includes to know what is child’s right, I learned that child has responsibilities that he or she has to fulfill and I acquired that I have to advocate for children that I represent in the sector.

The Case management forum

Case management forum is a regular meeting we attend at the district head office and it happens each month, attended by different partners who are in charge of children’s life.

In fact, the case management improves knowledge on these programs we implement mainly that focus on Children’s wellbeing, it also helps Friends of Family (Inshuti Z’Umuryango/IZUs) to solve problems which sometimes happens day to day in their families and villages.

If it is a child came from some province escaping from his/her parents, there must be a reason why that child left his/her home. We try to get more information about that reason and learn from it, then, together as the case management committee, we do everything possible in order to reintegrate that child within his/her family.

The current issues that are affecting children can ether from their own family, poor quality education or their surrounding community.

Parent has the responsibility to provide necessary care for his/her child. Thus, I advise them to put some efforts in caring for their children by talking to them, showing them that their better future life is in their hands and also children have to play their part.

Campaigns

The bus drivers who are around here, this is our message to you, or tickets sellers: “Don’t purchase a bus ticket to a child who is not accompanied by a responsible adult”.

Campaign at Ruhango Distict against CDW

We are very cheerful about this CVT event, besides, the campaign venue, is where children pass through, if you are heading to Kigali you have to pass through the bus station, means that delivering the message in the bus station is effective and the message will be spread out and reach many sides. If everyone includes bus drivers, tickets sellers, those guys who carry loads, and those who sell in the station become an ambassador the issue will be resolved, as results of working together in unity and harmony.

Campaign at Muhanga district against CDW

>> People who employ children in harmful works, we are going to make billboards, then put up them to your houses, we are going to write announcements, we are going to prepare radio programmes on our local radio stations in order to inform you about what the law says and your contribution on this,

>>So, raise children for the country, not only raising for one house, it would be most advantageous.”-Uwamariya Beatrice Muhanga Mayor.

Press conference on CDW

It is understood, we cannot reach everywhere, but, throughout your radios you can organize programs with aim to prevent and fight against issues of harmful works for children.-Damien NZAMWITA-Social Security Policy and Child Labour Alleviation at MIFOTRA.

We get the right picture of harmful works for children at country level, our contribution as journalists is to try to advocate problems that children are facing, especially those who come from rural to urban for being employed in domestic work.-Olivier Isatibasumba – Multimedia Journalist( Contact FM and VOA).

In enormous people who watch TVs and listen to Radios children also are included, so, Media can be a good channel to achieve children’s rights.

Reintegration of former CDW

“CVT in close collaboration with case management committees from districts of intervention reintegrated 92 Children formerly engaged in child domestic work into their families and communities…

(Sighing) Muhoza …, I missed you so much, Oh my God!

God Bless You! Thank you so much, I don’t have much to give, but only God will thank you.

God is seeing what you did, bringing her back from Kigali and back here, fortunately, now the child is safe and comfortable at home, Thanks, a lot and God bless you!

My fellow children, If I realize that they would like to be engaged in domestic work, we can sit together and converse and tell them the worst of domestic work by advising them to study and graduate then wait for job God will provide us. Child-former CDW

After receiving those school materials, I am going to work hard so that I will become a leader.Child-former CDW

… Among 418 children who have been identified as at-risk children of being involved in harmful child labor, 175 children have been facilitated to join Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) while others 243 children were supported to go back school.”

Witness of former CDW

• We take wire from the fuse, then pass it through the switch then it goes to the lamp. Child-former CDW
• Children’s voice advocated our problem, after they called us for this life skills training. Child-former CDW
• The reason why I came to study mechanics, it was my passion. In fact, doing mechanics is a work that makes me happy. Child-former CDW
• Studying mechanics will raise me to another level that I could not achieve myself.-Child-former CDW
• I was in bad condition there, being used harmful work, CVT came and brought me from those harmful works and now I am a visional constructor.Child-former CDW
• I was not comfortable out of school, I always used to ask my mother about school fees and she sent me to ask my father. Child-former CDW

After helping those students to return to school with ideas and materials, it was good ideas which lead the school also to build itself.

It is every Rwandan’s duty to protect child against harmful work because hazardous works affect negatively the child’s wellbeing. we need well educated Rwandans, who are able to develop themselves, and the country. Tumwine Venant-Labour inspector (Muhanga district).

In fact, child should be near to his/her family in order to attend school and learn all teachings we gain from family because they are pillars of values of our culture. NSENGUMUREMYI Omar Tony-CVT Legal Representative.

Would you like to see the UMCR project achievement? Please watch its documentary Video here.