On Friday 30 September 2022, Jesuit Urumuri Centre will convene headmasters from its 15 partner schools to officially launch the program “environmental conservation through improved land utilization to support school feeding for vulnerable children in the archdiocese of Kigali” also dubbed the school feeding program.
The program was initiated with the aim of improving ecological awareness through the utilization of land, by planting fruit trees in said schools. Eventually the fruits will be sold to generate revenue to feed vulnerable children at the schools. During the implementation of the program, teachers and students will also form clubs at the schools, where the former will teach environmental conservation using JUC environment manual book.
The manual consists of 4 modules namely;
- Why the environment
- Environment protection
- Climate change
- Tree plantation for climate change mitigation and adaptation
Friday’s meeting with school directors has been preceded by the construction of a nursery at the JUC premises during the final quarter of 2021. At this time avocado, orange, papaya, tomato tree and passion fruit seedlings were reared. Following this, and during the first quarter of 2022, JUC identified 15 partner schools to collaborate with in this project. At this time the director of JUC Fr. Ernest Ngiyembere, SJ and JUC assistant director Mr. Pierre Nyandwi, SJ visited the schools to establish communication and secure cooperation.
Since then, the seedlings have grown and are ready to be transplanted into the schools. It is because of this that the centre has invited school directors of the 15 schools to JUC premises, inorder to discuss the implementation of the program. Following this, JUC will invite 2 teachers each from the schools to attend a training of trainers during which they will learn how to teach environmental conservation. They will then go back to their respective schools and form environment clubs with the aid of the program manual.
Henriette Mushimiyimana
JUC Communication Officer
