Minister of State at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation Yves Iradukunda joined residents in Nyarugenge district for umuganda.
KIGALI – In Kimisagara sector, Nyarugenge district, young people turned a special Saturday community work activity into a broader call for a generation that can work, stay healthy and use its influence to build the country.
The activity on September 19 converged young people, government officials, artists and content creators as part of a nationwide youth Umuganda supporting the Sober Generation Initiative, a youth-led campaign that promotes drug prevention, responsible behaviour and Rwandan values.
At the gathering, Minister of State at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation Yves Iradukunda told young people that their choices would shape the country’s future.
“A country without a focused and responsible youth cannot go far. As you all may know, the issue of drugs, particularly illicit alcohol and vape products is affecting the direction of our country,” Iradukunda said.
He said the message was particularly important in a country where more than 65% of the population is young, making the protection of young people’s health and potential a national priority.
But beyond avoiding drugs, the minister’s message urged young people to seek work, including small-scale economic activities, as part of their contribution to national development.
“No job is too small as long as it is done well, helps you develop as an individual, and allows you to make your contribution to building the country,” Iradukunda said.
From Sober Campaign to Youth Culture
Youths in the special Umuganda in Nyarugenge district.
The message was reinforced by actress and producer Clenia Dusenge, one of the public figures supporting the initiative.
She said the special Umuganda was designed to bring the campaign closer to young people while encouraging them to embrace hard work, self-respect, patriotism and other vital life values.
“This is an initiative we took as young people to support different government programs, particularly this one aimed at encouraging young people to stop using drugs so that they can have healthy lives and build a better country,” Dusenge said.
She argued that young people do not need to hold large amounts of money to contribute to national development.
“I may not have money to build a road or a hospital, but I have a contribution to make. I have social media platforms that I can use well, I have the strength to work, I can participate in community work, and I can work with others to build the country,” she said.
For Dusenge, sobriety is also directly connected to economic opportunity because drug and alcohol abuse can undermine a young person’s ability to work and fulfil responsibilities.
“You may get a job but not have the strength to deliver the expected results,” she said, warning that irresponsible behaviour can eventually affect employers’ confidence in young workers.
To echo the minister’s message, Dusenge also challenged young people to examine how they use social media, saying technology should be used to find knowledge, employment and constructive networks rather than simply pursuing views and entertainment.
Rwandan leaders have constantly argued that technology should be a tool that helps one find opportunities, whether by gaining knowledge, meeting fellow young people with whom they can exchange constructive ideas.
A Message Repeated Across Rwanda
The message travelled beyond Kigali on Saturday, with young people and leaders taking the campaign into community activities in different parts of the country.
In Kibungo town, Ngoma district in the Eastern Province, leaders and various celebrities joined young people in a similar activity combining sanitation activities with messages against drug abuse and in favour of positive behaviour.
The activity sought to connect the campaign with the everyday responsibilities of young people, including keeping communities clean and contributing to a safer society.
Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, joined the IGP, CG Felix Namuhoranye, the PS at the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, Mireille Batamuliza, and Provincial Governor Jean Bosco Ntibitura in a special community activity in Rubengera sector.
“A country is built by people who think clearly. We urge young people to say no to drugs and alcoholism, live healthy lives and uphold their dignity, and use the strength they have to build a better future,” Nsanzimana said.
The gathering combined community work with music, dancing and messages encouraging young people to reject drugs, illicit alcohol and other behaviors that undermine their dignity.
IGP, CG Felix Namuhoranye speaking in Karongi district.
In Burera District, Northern Province, young people gathered in Mubuga Cell, Butaro Sector, for the same exercise focused on clearing waterways and preparing communities for the rainy season.
Alongside drainage and preparedness work, participants were similarly encouraged to reject drugs and take part in activities that improve community well-being.
Minister of State for Sports Ngarambe Rwego urged young people to avoid drugs and use their intelligence and energy in activities that contribute to their development.
“Drugs destroy your ability to think clearly. When you take them, you are no longer the one speaking or acting; they control you and make you do things that harm you and those around you. Channel your intelligence toward things that are productive and beneficial,” Rwego said.
The activities across the country showed the Sober Generation message being carried beyond a single campaign event and into community spaces where young people work, socialize and make everyday choices.
Minister of State for Sports Ngarambe Rwego urged young people to avoid drugs and use their intelligence and energy in activities that contribute to their development.
In Kibungo town, Ngoma district in the Eastern province, leaders and various celebrities joined young people in a similar activity combining sanitation activities with messages against drug abuse and in favour of positive behaviour.
The activity sought to connect the campaign with the everyday responsibilities of young people, including keeping communities clean and contributing to a safer society.
Over the past few months, the Sober Generation campaign has gained traction with a constant call for young people to link personal responsibility with practical work in their communities.
The initiative seeks to turn sobriety and responsible behaviour into part of a wider youth culture that links staying away from drugs and harmful alcohol use with work, health, dignity and practical participation in Rwanda’s development.
Various celebrities joined young people in combining sanitation activities with messages against drug abuse and in favour of positive behaviour.
Chantal Tuyishimire, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM) also joined residents in Nyarugenge district in the special Umuganda.
