Modeling Excellent Citizenship, For A Bright Future
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EJOHEZA Youth Group surrounding an elderly woman, Euphrasie Nyarihabeneza, in their village whom they support.
The EJOHEZA Youth Group are youth who reside in the Ruhango District of the Southern Province. They live in a sector called Bweramana, Rubona Cell in Nyamuko Village. EJOHEZA is comprised of a total of 27 members (13 males and 14 females). Among the 23 youths of EJOHEZA group,7 youths are self-employed and 4 youths are employed on wage basis.
The EJOHEZA group was formed on 23rd April 2019 with the main goal of chicken rearing. It was planned that every member of the group would have his/her own chicken and thereafter provides chicken to non-group members surrounding him/her within vicinity area. The member of the group highlighted that among the benefits they receive in the group includes work as team, they have covered how everyone can achieve his/her own goal using group’s idea, they just brainstorm on everyone’s challenges and help each other within the group to mitigate those challenges and they are working hard to achieve the group’s goal.
The Youth in EJOHEZA group are part of HDAK’s Youth Leadership and Accompaniment Program (YL&A), a program that aims to create a community in which HDAK Youth can have a peer to peer support system and engage in various group activities. Their group has experienced many successes including establishing a fully-functioning internal group savings and loan initiative. But of great significance, is their mission to support each other without leaving behind their vulnerable community members.
In the photo above, the youth are pictured next to an older woman named Euphrasie Nyarihabineza. This older woman lives alone as a result of being rejected by her daughter, with whom she used to live with. The youth felt like it was their responsibility as Community Stewards, to help Euphrasie by constructing her a new improved toilet. In addition, they are financially contributing to help secure durable roof materials for Mama Euphrasie’s house..
When asked where the idea of doing such great things came from, they reiterated the importance of being good citizens. In fact, they mentioned that some of the key principles of youth leader learnt from the Youth Leadership and Accompaniment program. A good leader someone who is interested to support others including the vulnerable group and play a role of good citizen by taking the lead to be role model commonly “Bandebereho”. It is what the group members wanted to show to the community members.
Furthermore the youth testified that the joint support they provide to the vulnerable in the community is very important. They have been able to make people in their community feel loved and interested in joining their EJOHEZA Group. The positive