In March 2016, a group of Ugandan Rotary Youth started a social media campaign called #FillTheBus and it instantly went viral attracting over 70+ youth which subsequently led to the filling up a 65 seater bus bound for Kigali, Rwanda with the rest travelling by separate means during Easter break from 25th to 27th March. #REACT2016 involved countries from Kenya,Uganda,Tanzania,Burundi and host Rwanda .
What inspired this campaign? According @PaulAtwine #REACT2016 PR,
“These rotary youths are part of an initiative called Rotaract East Africa Impact also dubbed REACT. It was formed to unite youth from diverse backgrounds and empower them to better serve their communities nationally and internationally with the project focused on the community needs of the hosting country. This year, Rwanda is the host of the #REACT2016 themed “Nutrition and household welfare”- Having a larger number of attendees would create a bigger impact on the community thus the #FillTheBus campaign” in Uganda.
68 other rotary youths from Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi joined the Ugandans in travelling to Kigali Rwanda for this regional annual project. The project took place in Gasharu village, KINYINYA sector, Gasabo District, a home to elderly people, teen mothers and HIV positive orphans who were relocated after the unfortunate 1994 genocide.
The project took place on UMUGANDA (General Cleaning Day) one of Rwanda’s most respected and long standing traditions. The youth worked in partnership with Peace and Hope Initiative, a local NGO that has been supporting community building initiatives in this village since 2005.
Miss Rwanda 2016, Jolly Mutesi, who was the chief guest excited the participants and beneficiaries with her charm, kind personality and most especially her active participation in the project activities.
The key project activity for the day was setting up of 50 kitchen gardens by the 138 rotary youth that were divided into 16 groups. Each group was given tools, a community elder and rotaractor from Rwanda who guided them as they setup and plant seeds (Garbage, Beetroot, Spinach and Carrot) in the kitchen gardens. Kitchen garden(s) is a program that was introduced by the government to tackle nutrition and food insecurity but was eventually adopted by and taken over by the communities.
The project was concluded with donation of food, clothes and nutrition literacy material to Peace and Hope Initiative presided over by our Miss Rwanda, Jolly Mutesi. The host clubs, Rotaract Club of Kigali and KIE, run a successful crowdfunding campaign which raised 500,000rwf for a year’s worth of medical insurance for 165 beneficiaries.
The hosts, Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Kigali capped off the weekend by treating the Reactors to a tour of the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, a grand evening of dinner, a night out on the town plus keepsakes.
#REACT2017 will be hosted in Tanzania so keep engaged on our Facebook and Twitter for updates on how you can volunteer, sponsor, partner or attend the next REACT experience.
Twitter @Engage_REACT
Facebook/Instagram/Google Plus: Rotaract East Africa Impact.
