Jesuit Urumuri Centre in partnership with the Catholic education secretariat in the Archdiocese of Kigali ran its annual youth camp from the 9th to the 14th December. The youth camp initiative was started by Jesuit Urumuri Centre in 2017 after realizing the challenges that young people are facing with regards to integral development.
This year’s event took place at the Rulindo Campus of the University of Kibungo (UNIK). The camp gathered close to 150 attendees who spent the whole week learning and deepening the manual of AHAPPY Generation Program that JUC is currently implementing in partner schools within the archdiocese of Kigali.
The JUC training team was seconded by two guest facilitators; namely Ms. Pascalia Sergon and Mr. Johnfisher Ondigo from African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) who hail from Nairobi, Kenya.
The youth camp was officially opened on the evening of Monday the 9th. At the official opening, the ceremony was graced by Fr Kimenyi Damien, the Parish Priest of Rulindo Catholic Parish, Fr Onesphore Ntivuguruzwa, the secretary for Catholic education secretariat in the Archdiocese of Kigali; Mr. Ntabana Cyrille, the Rulindo District officer in charge of emigration and immigration, as well as our very own Fr. Patrice Ndayisenga, SJ, the JUC director.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Ntabana Cyrille welcomed the students to Rulindo District and urged them to take advantage of this opportunity to learn, warning them of the human trafficking trend that is ruining young people’s lives these days.
Fr. Onesphore encouraged students to pay attention to the teaching and to listen to their mentors as though they were their own parents. He reminded them that having a good future takes a lot of work that includes receiving advice from parents and mentors.
The director of Jesuit Urumuri Centre, Fr. Patrice,SJ had a few words to share as he expressed his joy at being together with participants and looking forward to what the week had in store for all participants. He then prayed for all and closed the event.
This year’s student participants and their mentors are from AHAPPY Generation Clubs present in 13 secondary schools that Jesuit Urumuri Centre partners with. AHAPPY stands for AJAN HIV&AIDS Prevention Programme for the youth. It is a program that works towards prevention of HIV&AIDS, drug abuse and early pregnancies among the youth across Africa.
By Henriette Mushimiyimana,
Communication Officer, Jesuit Urumuri Centre
