For many, ‘Amabara’ in Kinyarwanda can mean different colours but for young people ‘Amabara’ is a slang used by the youth to describe unexpected and undercover bad acts like getting too drunk, engaging in sexual activities, drug abuse and other acts that parents might not be aware of. Young people engage in ‘Amabara’ and sometimes parents or guardians will find out when there are consequences that can’t be hidden anymore such as pregnancy, addiction or other life-threatening conditions. In a bid to sensitize young people to lead responsible lives and avoid the temptation of getting involved in engaging in nasty habits that could endanger their lives, 1k Entertainment and Health Development Initiative (HDI) joined forces to release a song to encourage young people to shun temptations and stay focused. The song, which was released on Monday brought together musicians Amalon, Marina, Alyn Sano and rappers Bushali, and B-Threy was aimed at creating awareness among young people especially in this period of the new coronavirus outbreak which has exposed young people to more risks. In this song, the boys are trying to seduce the girls at a party into sex, drinking and more but the girls want to take it slow and play it safe, a message to young people to avoid succumbing to peer pressure. According to Pius Rukabuza, also known as Deejay Pius, the CEO of 1K Entertainment, the song encourages young people to remain cautious and stay safe during the period of the pandemic. “During these hard times of the Covid pandemic, we, the youth, should also remember that there are other health issues that can limit or hinder our potential,” “Unwanted pregnancies and other sexually transmitted diseases are still a threat to our health. As Musicians, we made a song to remind the youth to take care of their lives by taking right decisions. Juliette Karitanyi, the Head of Communications at HDI Rwanda, the song raises issues such as abstinence, condom use and also in case of a mistake (Amabara), how one can seek help and support. “HDI partnered with a group of young musicians to increase young people’s knowledge on their responsibility of their health especially during this time of the pandemic of Covid-19, where many are confined at home,” “Through this song, they get to hear different messages on curbing teenage pregnancies, healthy relationships, complying with Covid-19 preventive measures and family planning,” Karitanyi said. She mentioned that the best way was to communicate to young people during this time, it’s through a channel they are all familiar with and music is one them. “It’s language that they can easily understand and relate to. There are so many general messages out there but this one is only about the youth, and we hope that young people will join force in taking responsible decisions concerning their sexual and reproductive health as well as their health in general during this time of the pandemic,” she added. The song was produced by Madebeats and Li John, while the video was directed by Serge Girishya. By press time, it had been watched over 43, 000 on Youtube.
