The history of our country should be the model for Rwandans about family planning and the good care for their children. Had Rwandans had good education background then, maybe they would not have killed each other the way they did.

I say this because most Rwandans still have a mentality of having many children while they have no ability to cater for them.

The Rwandan culture could have played a part in this mentality since they believed that many children provided for the best family defence, and of course fortune.

This meant that having no children was a basis of family withdrawal while having few children was a disgrace to a clan.
As time goes by, things change. The way Rwandans lived one century ago is not the same as today.

This is the reason why mentalities should also change. Most Rwandans do not have enough land to cultivate not even other ways to earn a good living but they are still keeping the belief to have many children as a fortune.

Yes, they have a right to procreate, but this right should not be the basis of abusing other human beings’ (children) rights. Couples may enjoy having a child year after year but they should also remember that every child is an added burden.

The burden is not for parents alone but extended to children as well. They miss education, good feeding and clothing and their lives are never the best in such a family.

Children are always the victims especially when personal interests are based on their presence, fathers tend to abandon homes when they cannot provide as expected.

It is high time Rwandans included children while planning for their families. Big numbers of children are no longer fortune but burden. They are a fortune when they are well educated and well cared for by their parents. 

Niyigaba Fidèle

NUR School of journalism and communication