Rwamagana/Kayonza- Parents in Kayonza and Rwamagana districts appealed to Rwandans to embrace family planning so as to have small manageable families.

The parents said it is in their own interest and the welfare of children to have a small family.

"We cannot entertain any more of the traditional beliefs against family planning. It is on record that parents with many children cannot protect them and don’t teach them.

This is abuse,” Janvier Habiyakare, 43, said during celebrations to mark the African Child Day at Espoir Primary School in Rwamagana, yesterday.

The father of three observed that parents give up on children rights when they are overwhelmed by children they cannot support.

Jane Mukagatare, 36, a mother of two living in Mukarenge sector of Kayonza District, told The New Times that poverty in rural areas is exacerbated by ever increasing family size.

"Having manageable families simply brings about positive consequences. Obviously, taking care of a dozen children is so different from taking care of just two.”

"Unfortunately, those producing many children indirectly affect everyone else,” she added.

Saverina Uwimana, the headteacher of ESPOIR in Rwamagana reiterated the need to sensitizse parents to produce children they can afford to look after.

She added that research findings show that children from small families look healthy and perform well in school.

"In small families, parents can spend quality time with their kids and can handily remember their birthdays and immunisation schedules. In a manageable family, mothers benefit the most,” she noted.

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