ART is one of the main operational programmes of ‘Imbonizarwo’, a non-profit youth organization created in 2014 by students of the University of Rwanda, with an objective of creating practical space for sharing experience in peace education, eradicating gender-based violence and promoting creativity towards building a socio–economically transformed community. The organisation is focusing on empowering groups of young people ranging between 13 and 30 years of age as agents of socio-economic changes through practical education, sharing experiences and oral media platforms that can enhance sustainable behavior changes. In 2019, the organisation launched a campaign to fight teen pregnancies specifically among secondary schools as well as to end sexual violence against teen girls as highlighted by Plan International through its campaign ‘Girls Get Equal’. The campaign started with districts in which most cases of sexual violence against teen girls were reported, including Bugesera in Eastern Province as well as Huye and Nyaruguru from Southern Province. The campaign was, however, interrupted when the first case of Covid-19 was reported in Rwanda in March last year. Through its initiatives aimed at promoting creativity and innovation and talent development towards executing the long-term solutions, the organisation did not give up but instead shifted from its usual community outreach approach to working with a group of music graduates and students currently studying at Nyundo School of Music with whom a number of songs carrying messages encouraging the general public to fight teen pregnancies were recorded and released. Peter Kwizera, the organisation’s coordinator, told The New Times that music is one of the new channels, along with theatre, short movies and poems, which the organisation is currently using in their campaign against teen pregnancies. “We are using music, theatres and short movies in our campaigns because we can’t meet the public physically and I believe art equally has the power to spread the message and reach to whoever it is destined for,” said Kwizera. A total of nine artistes from Nyundo School of Music joined the cause to fight teen pregnancies through music. They include rapper Stephan Munyurangabo alias Siti True Karigombe, Sam Gakuba, Jean Luc Mutuzo Courage, Elie Livingstone, Norbert Ishimwe and Ignance Karinijabo as the males while Oda Martine, Joy Uwitonze and Kellya Tuyizere are the three females who complete the group of artistes who are in the campaign. The organization brought the artistes together in the studio and formed a band which went on to record four songs that will be used during the campaign. The band has so far released two songs, namely ‘Wirarikira Kujyayo’ and ‘Umwari Mwiza’, while two more are still in the studio pending production before the campaign. The recorded songs, poems and theatres expected to be used in the campaign carry messages that encourage young women to avoid accepting gifts and any temptations leading to sexual violence. They also help impregnated young women in boosting hope of life after pregnancy, while also cautioning men to stop making any contribution in actions leading to teen pregnancies and violence against young women. The campaign, Kwizera said, will resume in schools once the pandemic relaxes meeting students in schools is now prohibited to avoid the spread of coronavirus. “We are targeting young women in secondary schools because they are in the age during which they face a series of temptations leading to sexual violence. We hope to reach students in schools,” he said.
