Source: The Rwandan Focus
For any girl or woman to be able to really be the person she was meant to be and reach her full potential, perceptions of the community, of her fellow girls and women, and the way she perceives herself are vital.

For example, some decades ago in Rwanda it seemed impossible to have a woman in leadership. It was rare to see a woman pursuing higher education as education for girls was considered to be futile.

Such was the case of Nyirandatwa, 58, who wanted to go to university after finishing her high school. "My father told me that I had more than enough education for a girl," she recalled. "So all my dreams came to nothing and I still regret it today."

Perceptions about the role of women not only in the family but also the community can either spur them on or hinder their development. The way society views a person also affects largely the way the person views herself. And that view of oneself also plays a big role in what a person is able to accomplish in life. This is explained in detail by Phoebe Mutesi, the editor of Ni Nyampinga, a magazine for teenage girls.

"Girls, who are future important members of the society and mothers, tend to be sidelined and don't believe in themselves when their communities have the wrong view about their role and place," she says, adding that their aim is to change the attitude of those girls while there is still hope and a chance for them to do something with their lives.

The role played by the community's perceptions and understanding of women is acknowledged by Straton Nsanzabaganwa from the ministry of sports and culture MINISPOC, who says that currently the role of women in the society is acknowledged publicly. "Contrary to popular belief, traditionally people knew a woman was important," he points out. "Women had a very important role to play, especially in the economic welfare of the family, but it was not publicly recognized."

"We not only speak to the girls but also reach the community in which they live, their families, to show them the potential of the young girls and women."

Nsanzabaganwa explains that the difference was that a woman's role and importance was not acknowledged as it is today. "This was due to their education and understanding of the matter. Still, they found a way of acknowledging this, and one good example is that of a proverb describing a woman as the heart of the home and family."

In the above context, the role of girls and women was strictly confined to the household, and it was not often that a woman could be seen engaging in more community work like leadership which was considered to be the duty of men. "Nowadays you see women engaged in broader activities of the community," explained Straton. "They are the local leaders, the businesspeople and many more other prominent roles in the community."

Driver of change

Ensuring that young girls and women reach their full potential is the objective that the founders and directors of the Ni Nyampinga magazine and

radio show have fixed for themselves. "A woman is the driver of change in the community," says Lauren Russell, the global communication manager for the NIKE foundation - one of the founders of Girl Hub, the organization that publishes the magazine. "It starts within the family and spreads to the whole community."

Mutesi explains that the way they inspire their readers is by showing them the existing opportunities available to them and the steps to get there. "What is good is that in that way, whether through the magazine or the radio show, we not only speak to the girls but also reach the community in which they live, their families, to show them the potential of the young girls and women."

Ni Nyampinga always tries to tackle the issues which are real and relevant, by answering the questions which their readers and audience ask. "Our magazines are hand-delivered, which allows us to get direct feedback from the community," remarks Mutesi adding that they also receive calls during the radio shows.

"If women and young girls are made aware of the opportunities available to them and are enabled to make use of those opportunities, their full potential will be unlocked and there is no stopping development then," says Russell.

This is affirmed by the fact that more than half of the country's population is female. If the whole group is sidelined, the country would already have lost half its workforce.

 

 

• Rwanda