The URI Global Council and Staff recently held a gathering in Kigali, Rwanda. It was inspiring to visit and learn about the impact of two local Cooperation Circles.
Réseau Culturel Sangwa CC’s vision and purpose are to build peace in a way that is sustainable over many years; to empower women to become self-reliant; to work towards reconciliation; and to advocate for the establishment of human rights within communities; a cohesive society where peace, gender, equality, culture, and arts visibly promoted and upheld.
One of their key focus areas is to train young leaders and support their journey out of a dark past of the effects of the genocide, turning them into visionary leaders in their communities and among their peers.
“Together we listened and appreciated the stories shared by young people who have been able to come out of a dark past of the effects of the genocide and turned into visionary leaders in their communities and among their peers.
We were thrilled to learn about their big plans for self-advancement in both their career and lifestyles…”
a sharing by one of Sangwa Reseau Culturel CC leader
“…our mothers here have mentored us into responsible young people. The family we have here anchored our hopes to contribute to our country and the world at large, a sharing of one of the young people. Some of us don’t know of any other family but only our mothers at Sangwa”, Patience Shumbusho, one of the beneficiaries.
A major milestone of this mentoring was the formation of Eco Arts Initiative, a URI Cooperation Circle that was established by Patience Shumbusho, a beneficiary of Sangwa CC.
Eco Arts focuses on supporting the grassroots community in Rwanda by engaging youth in environmental sustainability initiatives. The environmental heritage conservation project is one of the Eco Arts Cooperation Circle initiatives that engages young people in environmental conservation.
One of the recent efforts by Eco Arts CC was the Plastic Free July campaign which aimed to raise awareness of plastic pollution and its negative impact on the environment.