Empowering Single Mothers: 2nd Graduation Ceremony Celebrates Success of Gender Matters for Green TVET Project at Muhazi
Through the Gender Matters for Green TVET Project, on Thursday, 27 June 2024, a graduation ceremony was held at Don Bosco Muhazi Technical-Vocational School in Rwanda. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of 27 young single mothers who had completed an agricultural course aimed at empowering women and supporting the most vulnerable in society.
The beneficiaries were given startup toolkits for agriculture and goats to help them start their own agricultural businesses. They were also given Reusable Sanitary pads for the hygiene purpose.
The Director of Don Bosco Muhazi, Father Raymond Bavumiragiye, Headmistress Sister Nyanzira Leocadie, and Gender Officer Mrs. Aurore Niyitanga attended the graduation.
During an interview with Mrs. Aurore, the Gender officer stated, “They were given a message to go and start using the knowledge they have gained without relying on donations, but to use what they have been given as a starting point for their development.” She emphasized that empowering single mothers is a way to build their self-esteem as well as helping them to come out the isolation.
One of the beneficiaries of the Gender Matters for Green TVET project, Ms. Mujawase Francoise, expressed her gratitude by stating; “Now the next step is to apply what I have learned here. I have gained valuable skills in animal husbandry and agriculture. This goat will help me improve my crops with the use of fertilizer.”
Ms. Mujawase shared that she is currently making plans to return to school. She explained that she had to drop out at Senior 5 when she became pregnant at a young age. She faced many challenges raising a child on her own, but now she is determined to continue her education and create a better future for herself and her family.
The course, which lasted six months, focused on teaching the single mothers how to prepare fields for planting various crops such as bananas, tomatoes, peppers, and onions among others. In addition to agricultural skills, the students also learned about animal husbandry and entrepreneurship.
Father Bavumiragiye Raymond, the Director of Don Bosco Muhazi said, “The graduation of these single mothers is a celebration of empowerment and resilience.”
He added, “Through the Gender Matters for Green TVET Project, we are not just providing skills, but we are building futures for these young single mothers. Let us continue to support and empower women, because when we invest in them, we invest in a better future for all.”
This initiative not only aims to provide practical skills to the students but also to promote gender equality in education and the agriculture business.
Empowering single mothers is part of the Gender Matters for Green TVET Project, a four-year initiative (2023-2026) implemented in five Don Bosco TVET Centres across Uganda and Rwanda, with funding from the Austrian Development Cooperation and Jugend Eine Welt.
