On 30th of January 2020, A Girl of Purpose session was held under the theme: “Our Indispensable role in nation-building through purposeful, positive and addiction-free living”. Here, the major aspect was the empowerment of girls to identify and live according to their life purpose.
First and foremost, the meaning of nation-building, purposeful, positive and addiction-free living should be the defining and a common denominator for all girls and women alike. Every girl needs to identify and live within her life purpose. This makes you bold and gives self-satisfaction as you serve people. Several questions were used to guide the discussion, one reads: what opportunities are available for Girls in Rwanda to increasingly participate in self and community development? The common and shared opinion is that Rwanda is a nation that gives women (girls) a big role in policy making and nation building. In the government’s ministerial position, 60% are women. This should motivate and give girls the platform for their voices to be heard and A Girl of Purpose session is one of the right platforms for girls in Rwanda. Within the educational sector, girls are given opportunities to study science-related courses more than boys; in terms of financial support, girls are given scholarship opportunities to study in universities. Imbuto foundation accords an opportunity for girls to get job, and therefore, making their contribution towards national development.
The key reality that all girls in Rwanda need to embrace is the fact that purposeful, positive and addiction free living prepares them to be inseparable from their God given role without which there is no civilisation and humanity. Purpose Rwanda advocates to girls to value themselves and be part and parcel of family, community and national transformation. Girls should increasingly underscore the fact that without their effective participation in development, poverty cannot be eradicated, there cannot be addiction free Rwanda if girls do not refrain and yield to pressure of premarital sex, HIV/AIDS cannot be prevented and eliminated without the role and voices of girls and women. Peace, love, solidarity and forgiveness in Rwanda stands as the best tool in nation building when A Girl of Purpose features prominently.
What is required of an individual girl to achieve self-growth and to be able to make a significant contribution to national development?’ this question was discussed in depth: most importantly, all the girls shared a common position; that their participation in Purpose Rwanda Fellowship plays an important role preparing them to face the world in better ways: that the fellowship empowers, shapes their characters, orients them morally and ethically, it creates an element of risk taking and resilience, it builds entrepreneurial skill, knowledge and spirit, it makes them firm decision makes for a critical world. In the fellowship, there is mentorship, coaching, teaching and empowerment which meets the requirements of inclusivity.
The discussion further content that, there is need to take education very seriously: all girls should endeavour to score good grades at all levels. They should not allow themselves to drop out of school because of unwanted pregnancies when they are supposed to abstain from premarital sex. Premarital sex in not only a gate way to unwanted and ill-fated pregnancy, but it is also a sure gate way to contracting sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, syphilis and others that are damaging characterised by life threatening impact including premature and shameful death.
In conclusion, the girls agreed that they should continue to encourage each other through an opportunity accorded by A Girl of Purpose Program and other similar programs of Purpose Rwanda to live a purposeful and addiction-free life.
