In line with celebrating the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, Healthy People Rwanda (HPR), in collaboration with the Rwanda National Police (RNP), organised a practical and on-site road safety measures and sign learning for primary and secondary school students of Group Scolaire Kacyiru II (GS Kacyiru II). The event aimed at educating students on road best practices. Founded in 2013 by 11 medical students from the University of Rwanda, HPR is a Rwandan non-governmental organisation (NGO) that carries out youth engagement, and educational and awareness activities such as sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice, road safety, professional development programmes, and health promotion. Remaining true to its core objective to continuously empower youth and local communities towards improving quality of life from the grassroots, HPR, on Thursday, May 15, organised a road safety learning practical activity for GS Kacyiru II students. The students paraded at their school with HPR’s staff holding posters that displayed this year’s 8th UN global road safety week theme, “Make walking safe, make cycling safe,” both in Kinyarwanda and English. ALSO READ: Rwanda police to use drones to monitor road safety According to the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, Road Safety Week, which kicked off on May 12, aims to mobilise advocates and communities to demand safer streets for walking and cycling and calls on policymakers to implement proven interventions to achieve this. Before the students marched from the school to the road from Kinamba (Gisozi) to Kacyiru, they went through a series of fun and educational road sign exercises with HPR staff. The students were tested and educated on road signs like traffic lights' indication, and emergency contacts such as the ambulance (912) and police numbers (112), and received a brief introduction to first aid support in case of an accident. ALSO READ: Six ways govt plans to mitigate road accidents “This year’s UN Global Road Safety Week was a reminder that road safety is not just a transportation issue, it’s a public health priority, and that road crashes are not mere accidents; most are preventable,” said HPR President Dr Innocent Nzeyimana. “Through our collaboration with the Rwanda National Police, the Ministry of Infrastructure, and other partners, we are working to create safer roads for everyone, especially cyclists and pedestrians.” ALSO READ: Police points to decline in road accidents as Rwandans prepare to usher in new year While walking and cycling remain among the most used means of transport, statistics indicate that pedestrians and cyclists make up more than one-quarter of all road traffic deaths. Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with nearly 1.2 million people killed and as many as 50 million people injured each year, according to WHO data. They are the leading killer of young people aged 5-29 years. Globally, more than 1 in every 4 deaths occurs among pedestrians and cyclists. In Africa, 1 in 3 road deaths are pedestrians. According to the Rwanda National Police, in 2023, about 700 road accidents claimed the lives of pedestrians and motorcyclists in high numbers. SP Emmanuel Kayigi, Traffic Police Spokesperson, commended HPR for their road safety campaign, adding that road safety is not just for pedestrians and cyclists, but everyone’s responsibility. “It is very important to teach people about road safety measures like road crossing and how to use and respect a zebra crossing,” Kayigi added. “More importantly, teaching a kid is critical because whatever they are taught, they grow up with it, and the good thing is that they easily transfer the message to others.” At the end of their march from the school’s compound to the main road, the students had a practical, interactive, and deep explanation from the police officers about how to best use the roads. Students got a chance to ask the officers all the questions they had about road safety, use of zebra crossings, curious questions about traffic lights, and the role of police in the street. “If you feel uncomfortable when you are about to cross the road, just ask a police officer nearby and they will stop the cars for you to move. The role of the traffic police is to ensure there is safety and security, and that includes helping pedestrians,” one police officer responded to a curious student. Reflecting on the role of cyclists to ensure road safety, Kayigi pointed out some of the risk behaviors by cyclists, including holding moving cars or trucks, and overloading the bicycle to the point that the brakes do not work. He echoed that these practices could cause accidents and called on cyclists to be considerate while using the road. He added, “It is our collective responsibility to maintain road safety.” Michel Nyirumugisha and Aline Mutuyezi, head boy and head girl of Group scolaire Kacyiru II, both senior five students, noted that the activity addressed their curiosity and improved their knowledge on how to best use the road, while giving them a platform to ask their questions. “There are many things we did as pedestrians, not knowing they were wrong, but after receiving explanations, we understood the risks and who we can approach to solve our road problems,” Mutuyezu said. Nyirumugisha also added, “We will go to every class to share the knowledge we acquired from here with our fellow students, and later, we shall organise a general assembly to share with the rest of the school.” HPR runs a number of activities, including the First Aid Initiative Rwanda (FAIR), and has trained over 1,663 students across 30 schools in Kigali and 2,828 RNP officers about road safety awareness, basic first aid procedures, and emergency care skills. HPR also played a key advocacy and support role in the establishment of Africa’s first helmet testing laboratory, launched in December 2024. “At Healthy People Rwanda, we remain committed to advocating for inclusive, people-centred road infrastructure and empowering the next generation with the knowledge they need to stay safe on our roads,” Nzeyimana said. As part of their road safety efforts, HPR assessed Kinamba Junction and found it unsafe for walking and cycling. The organization presented a recommendation to the City of Kigali to add more zebra crossings, traffic lights, and pedestrian islands to reduce the crossing distance. During the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, HPR also organized a community walk and a friendly basketball match between Kigali Christian School and Saint Ignatius High School, sharing key messages on safe walking, cycling, and responsible road use.
