Symphony Band, one of the leading music bands in the country, has teamed up with the local non-government organisation, Empower Rwanda, to tackle the growing challenge of teenage pregnancy across the country. ALSO READ: Rwanda unveils sex education book in bid to tackle teen pregnancies The band, managed by Backstage Music Company, entered a partnership with Empower Rwanda to use music to reach out to hundreds of young people in a countrywide tour and sensitise them to the dangers and burdens presented by teenage pregnancy. The band is set to kick off the performances in Nyagatare District, where the campaign dubbed “Rungano Turwanye inda ziterwa abangavu” will start, tomorrow, April 4. Other artistes expected to perform at the concert include Alyn Sano, arguably the leading female artiste at the moment with a huge appeal among the youth. The “Boo and Bae” singer was recently involved in a campaign to promote safe sex by encouraging the use of contraception, particularly condoms. Okkama will also perform alongside Papa Cyangwe, who will work up the youthful crowd with their most recent hits. The artistes will crisscross the country to play their part in national efforts to curb the teenage pregnancy challenge. The campaign is expected on social media platforms as well. According to Olivia Promise Kabatesi, the founder and country director of Empower Rwanda, the campaign will kick off with a workshop on sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), climaxing with a concert at Nyagatare Stadium in the afternoon. ALSO READ: Why rise in teenage pregnancies has persisted As part of the awareness programme, youth will participate in a walk in the city of Nyagatare as part of efforts to curb the challenge of early pregnancy which continues to setback the lives of young girls in the district. The youth band, which is mainly composed of former students of Nyundo School of Music and Creative Arts, was formed in 2018 and went on to grow into a common fixture at events, backing up local and international artistes during performances. ALSO READ: FEATURED: Empower Rwanda founder calls for joint efforts to end teen pregnancies Symphony Band does not just play musical instruments, they also sing and their quality production has endeared them to the young generation, especially when they perform with renowned stars. “We believe they have what it takes, the talent, the voices, and the popularity to pull crowds of young people, and together we can pass on important messages to the youth using the platform they have,” Kabatesi says. The objective of the campaign is to raise youth awareness of the prevention of teenage pregnancy through youth-friendly strategies, music being one of them. ALSO READ: The rise of Symphony band The partnership is aimed at ensuring that youth have access to information about SRHR and legal frameworks, have an understanding of family planning methods, awareness of cultural and gender norms that perpetuate teenage pregnancies and sexual violence, among other areas of action. The increase in teenage pregnancy rates in Rwanda in recent years has been an issue of serious concern. According to the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, teenage pregnancy has been on the rise in Rwanda in recent years, with 17,337 underage girls conceiving in 2017, 19,832 in 2018, 23,544 in 2019, 19,701 in 2020, and 23,000 in 2021. The City of Kigali and Eastern Province face the highest prevalence of teenage pregnancies in Rwanda, explaining why the campaign started in Nyagatare District.
