RWANDA: Schoolgirls Form Gender Club

As a way of training young girls' leadership experiences, Nyagatare Secondary School administration has opened a "Gender Club" where girls will be meeting their brothers for discussions on several issues.

Dickson Ainebyoona, the school director who encouraged the students to form the club, confesses that the idea came as a result of boys holding all the leadership posts in this school. "Girls have not been confident because all the school activities are headed by the boys."

Dickson stresses that gender club will enable girl students to participate in leadership, decision making and shaping their behaviour. "We are hopeful the students character will change for the good because all the time used to plan escaping from school will be spent in club activities," he adds

It will help students in passing national examinations since some questions about gender are asked in the question papers, Ainebyoona denotes.

Gender club leader, Zipora Ndakaza a senior five student narrates that starting the club is not enough but much support is needed to help them extend the knowledge to other youth about gender issues.

Ndakaza explains: "I myself know little about gender issues, so it's important that our school administrators give us their support."

While the club plans to visit other clubs and learn from them, Ndakaza points out those club members are contributing scholastic materials to help their fellow poor students. Nyagatare Secondary School started in 2000. It has up to 928 students 35 teachers of which two are females.

Gender Club has started with 40 members although the school officials are urging other students to join it.

Gender Club is added on other clubs in this school that fight drugs, Aids, teaching English language and kung-fu.