As Rwanda celebrates Patriotism Day, on October 1, 2023, The Chancellery for Heroes, National Orders, and Decorations of Honor (CHENO) showcased how Culture and Heroism Clubs in schools are promoting patriotic values among children and youth in Rwanda.
ALSO READ: Patriotism is deeply rooted in Rwanda’s culture
The event coincides with the launch of the armed struggle when young Rwandans took up arms and launched a struggle in 1990 to liberate the country from decades of dictatorship and bad governance characterized by division among the Rwandans and exclusion.
According to the Executive Secretary of CHENO, Deo Nkusi, the culture of heroism is a strong pillar in building the country saying: "The young generation should uphold the culture of patriotism with proven integrity including the sense of courage and sacrifice to support positive actions geared towards nation building.”
The heroic value characterized Rwandans since its creation by sacrificing to expand the country and protect its sovereignty.
Protecting the country against the enemy and boosting its economic development have always been among the heroic values that characterized Rwandans before, during, and after colonization according to historians.
The children and youth were always educated on the culture of patriotism, fighting for and sustaining the nation’s success. Patriotism was inculcated to the youth through family and community education, and in "Itorero”.
"CHENO has a responsibility to partner with other institutions to educate Rwandans, especially youth about heroism culture and embracing heroic activities. It is in this context that Culture and Heroism Clubs were established for youth as a platform to promote values and heroic culture,” Nkusi explained.
The clubs were established in 2013 in partnership with the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA).
ALSO READ: What Patriotism Day means in times of a pandemic
They are created in schools at all levels and other youth forums across the country.
The clubs were started at primary and secondary school levels and are being created in higher learning institutions as well as TVET schools.
"We are also considering youth who are not at school who can be brought together in different forums in their respective villages as well as youth in the diaspora so that they also form Culture and Heroism Clubs,” he said.
The clubs provide opportunities to analyze, understand, and share feelings through discussions about heroic culture through poems, drama, songs, traditional dancing, and debates.
Through performance contracts, the culture and heroism clubs aim to carry out activities that promote heroic culture.
The clubs’ responsibilities include supporting and sustaining activities that promote heroic culture, Kinyarwanda language, Rwanda’s culture and history, the culture of peace, unity, and reconciliation, celebrating Rwanda’s heroes, and discussions about Rwandan heroes’ history in order to learn from them.
The clubs’ responsibilities also include participating in activities that organize Heroes Day celebrations at the school level and at the national level.
Discussions and sharing ideas about activities that promote heroic culture starting from the youth, emulating heroic values in their daily activities such as participating in different government programmes, being exemplary and learning how such values build economic development are among the clubs’ responsibilities.
The Culture and Heroism Clubs gather and discuss culture and heroism topics in the school and during morning gatherings before starting classes. They also operate in free times or during the time reserved for extra-curricular activities in different schools.
The clubs prepare plays or dramas about culture and heroism, physical activities, and solidarity activities, participate in community works, and clean genocide memorials.
They also do traditional dancing, learn civic education and the values of Rwandan culture.
How the clubs are established and operate
The members of the club can choose the club’s name using one of the heroes’ categories in Rwanda or any values among others.
When the club has a large number of members, they are put in small groups operating under the main club’s name and borrow names from heroes or values.
The club’s leadership is elected every year.
The elected club leaders must be from 1st, second, fourth, and fifth years. Those in final years are excluded from the club’s leadership.
ALSO READ: Young Rwandans reflect on meaning of Patriotism Day
The club’s committee comprises the president, vice president, treasurer, and two advisors.
The club’s activities are planned by focusing on what has to be done every trimester, especially topics that need to be talked about and the speakers.
The plan should include sketches or plays to be performed in front of other students and pupils, debates, songs, and poems they have to create as well as writing articles about heroism in a school newsletter.
The club members also do tours to a place with heroism history and celebrate Heroes Day at the school level and other activities promoting Rwandans’ heroic culture.
Schools’ testimonies
According to Philbert Africa, a teacher who is a culture and heroism club mentor at Gatsata Catholic Primary School in P5 in Gasabo district, the clubs are helping schoolchildren embrace good values and behaviors.
"Through the clubs, the children commit to also perform well in class, discipline, and other school activities such as environmental protection and hygiene. Heroic values are taught in these clubs. The club meets every Wednesday.
We also invite speakers such as Nyangwe school heroes who are still alive to teach club members about heroes in Rwanda and how they should learn from them to build a bright future,” he said.
He said the learned lessons are also shared with all children during morning gatherings before starting class at the school.
"The children organize plays and songs as an effective way of educating their schoolmates,” he noted.
Marthe Uwimana, another club mentor, said that Culture and Heroism Club is among other clubs in the school.
"We can’t talk about heroism without talking about culture and patriotic values which children should embrace as they grow up. The clubs are helping to inculcate these values in children,” she said.
She said that the children share what they learn through the club with other schoolchildren.
"The children, through the clubs, learn how Rwandan culture and heroic values can help them in their daily lives and what they can do to become heroes,” she added.
Aliane Karabo, the vice president of the club’s committee said: "When I hear heroism I understand sacrifice for the country, patriotism, and being exemplary among other people.
When we meet, we learn about Rwanda’s history and heroes. This is helpful as we learn how to support each other at school in different issues.”
Prince Mushimiyimana, the club’s president said that they share what they learn in the club with other children at school and their communities.
"Whenever we have free time, we always discuss our club’s activities and plans. Some of the heroic values at our level include supporting vulnerable children facing different challenges,” he said.
Queen Ineza, the club’s secretary added: "Fighting discrimination, supporting one another are good values we have learnt. We think of children in poor families, those with conflicts, those who drop out of school, and reassure them through advocacy. These are some of the heroic values. We invite other children to join our clubs to learn about good values”.
Learning materials distribution and capacity building for Clubs Members
From their creation in 2013, every year, CHENO’s employees organize visit to monitor and ensure capacity building for different Clubs in all districts.
In order to increase the capacity of the clubs, CHENO distributes learning materials including leaflets about national heroes published in Kinyarwanda and English, leaflets about national orders and decorations, and books about the culture of heroism.
In 2017, CHENO organized the Training of Trainers (ToT) in which different Districts and Sectors Officials were given detailed explanations about the functioning and responsibilities of Culture and Heroism Clubs.
CHENO has also established a Journal called "UMURAGE W’UBUTWARI” which publishes articles about heroism culture in Rwanda. UMURAGE W’UBUTWARI Journal is published twice a year: on 1st February, the date for National Heroes Day celebration and on 1st October, the date for Patriotism Day.
This Journal is also distributed in Culture and Heroism Clubs as learning material to assist Club members in discussions and other activities assigned to the Club.
Some of the challenges the clubs are facing include limited time for para-curricular activities in non-boarding schools. This leads to limited time allocated to clubs of Culture and heroism.
The learning materials are also still few for the clubs and the club’s committees expressed the need for regular training.
The clubs also need materials such as cameras, t-shirts showing heroism, and sound equipment among others.
The clubs have no financial capacity to visit historical sites such as museums with heroic history.
The clubs have demanded audio-visual materials to help them learn and educate others on culture and heroism as well as a programme of activities they should use in their schools.
They also requested support in organizing visit tours and regular competitions through poems, songs, and dancing for club members for recognition.
In order to address the mentioned challenges, CHENO will continue to ensure capacity building for Culture and Heroism Clubs.
CHENO will continue to organize training, especially Training of Trainers to ensure each and every Club is well maintained and monitored.
CHENO will also continue to work with other institutions, especially the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Youth and other public and private partners in order to disseminate heroism and patriotism values among the Rwandans, especially the youth.