“We are anxious because we care,” First Lady tells youth

Jeannette Kagame and the children. (Internet photo)

Imbuto Foundation has kicked off its annual youth forum series (YFS) under the theme “Ndi Umunyarwanda – I am Rwandan” this Wednesday in Kigali.

This event brought together young people between 18 and 35 years of age to learn more about common identity and their responsibility of shaping a future rooted in values of dignity and self determination.

At this occasion, the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, called upon the participants to keep respecting their parents regardless of their age or level of education, because parents’ wisdom is valuable.  “We know at this stage, you think that parents don’t still have to advise you, as you pretend to be mature enough, or because you think that your parents are uninformed, you all have to know that the elders’ wisdom doesn’t depend on any other thing but their experience, and trust me they are experienced.”

The First Lady urged youth to find a great role model for themselves, to help them shape their character and be the best Rwandans the country is looking for. She reminded them the meaning of anxiousness they sometimes read in their parents’ eyes. “We are anxious because we care”, she said, “Sometimes you get yourself in very bad situations, influenced by peers. That’s wrong because the things you take for granted today can cost you a lot and damage your future.”

Jeannette Kagame appealed to the youth to always acknowledge the effort of their elders who brought back the dignity to all Rwandans. “When most of us at your age were refused the chance to live in our motherland, there are those who sacrificed all they had to re-dignify us. They have taken Rwanda forward to a commendable step, but this can be fragile if, you the young generation happens to take a wrong turn,” she said urging the youth to stay focused for them to achieve big.

“You are a privileged generation. Rwanda will become what you want it to be — you have the key.”

The two-day forum targets two age groups; mainly 18-24 and 25-35 years. The first group aims at equipping the youth with necessary values to grow into responsible individuals who easily face life’s challenges, while the second group is comprised of young professionals who have encountered hard decision making techniques in a day-to-day basis which have in turn ended up molding them.

Posted by Jean-Christophe Nsanzimana on Aug 9 2012. Filed under Daily News, National. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.