A group of gospel artistes from different religious denominations in Kigali, under the Alarm Ministries, has started a campaign on prevention of Gender Based Violence in the Northern Province. The campaign will involve different partners including Police, Churches, among others. The one-year drive aims at sensitising people and training religious leaders, women, and youths on Gender Based Violence with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Mainly focusing on Rulindo District, particularly in the Sectors of Masoro, Cyinzuzi and Murambi, the group (Alarm Ministries) will also help people create cooperatives, savings groups for women and youth to enable them solve problems related to vulnerability as well as empower them. The group also committed to support the created savings groups and cooperatives for their sustainability. Freddy Bisetsa, the executive secretary of Alarm Ministry, told The New Times on Tuesday that preaching the gospel is helpful but it can be more impactful when people are living in harmony. ‘‘I would be happy to see a lot of people at our concerts, but I feel for their living conditions,’’ Bisetsa said. “Our interaction should not end at concerts but even after. We thought of how we can do something to help them advance their living conditions,” he said. He observed that women’s dependency to their husbands sometimes breed violence and conflict in families. “We found that empowering women should reduce gender based violence. That’s why, during the campaign, women will be trained on how to start small businesses,” he added. Bisetsa explained that poverty in families could be the cause of violence and conflict, adding that more initiatives are needed to ease women’s vulnerability. Alarm Ministries is a religious group that brings together worshippers from different faith based organisations with the aim of preaching the word of God through praise and worship concerts to empower and change people’s lives. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
