Officials and US students posing for a photograph

18 students and 8 teachers, all members of “AFRIPEACE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION” from Santramento and Chico colleges in California toured the Parliament of Rwanda on 24 July 2012. Their visit was in line with the objective of enhancing the relationship between the US and Africa in general and Rwanda in particular.
The team was received by the Senate President Dr. Jean Damascène NTAWUKULIRYAYO alongside some Senators.

 

Exchanging with the Senate officials, the students were interested in knowing about spectacular growth of Rwanda after the 1994 genocide, through questions they asked about various government programmes.

 

They mostly wanted to know about advanced level of gender balance and women participation in the parliament whereby Hon. Gacinya explained to them that the parliament of Rwanda’s success story in gender balance depends on the political will and commitment of all Rwandans.

She said, “in line with Beijing Convention, the government of Rwanda has embarked on streamlining gender principles throughout all social clusters. To start with, the gender values were embedded in the Constitution of Rwanda and all Rwandans are gender sensitive enough to abide by gender practices. As a result, Rwanda has emerged first country worldwide to have pragmatically implemented gender initiatives.”

Speaking to the Radio Inteko, the California students declared that the Parliament of Rwanda is doing a tremendous job and MPs are accessible to the population, which is good.

 

The President of the Senate congratulated the delegation for undertaking a trip to Rwanda despite some baseless information according to which Rwanda is not a safe and free Nation.

 

The California college students are in visit to Rwanda to meet their young partners as they visit the activities carried out on their support such as houses built for genocide orphans. They are learning about Rwanda culture and apart from Rwanda Parliament, they have been visiting historical and touristic sites in the country.

 

These young people have a particular friendship with an education centre for former street children known as “The Streets Ahead Children Centre Association-SACCA”.