IWD 2023: Shooting Touch promotes gender equality through Sports and Health initiatives

By The Inspirer writer.

As the World marks the celebration of the International Women Day 2023, Shooting touch, a local organization working in the Eastern Rwanda, Kayonza District in partnership with Paper Crown Rwanda have showcased the initiatives that promote gender equality through sports and health activities.

The celebration of this day that took place on March 19, 2023, was introduced by a special walk of 5 kilometers from near Kayonza District Headquarters to Nyamirama Basketball ground, where the citizens made of the youth as the main age were given free testing services of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

The event was fully fantastic with mutual basketball competitions for youth and women of all ages.  

Speaking during the event, Christelle Umuhoza, In-Country Program Director of Shooting Touch said that the initiative aims at fostering gender equality between girls and boys, women and men by eradicating inequality.

“This is the 8th year we have organized an event for IWD, women of Shooting Touch were given a space and are empowered through gaming and common sports activities with men. In our current activities, we do encourage women to have confidence in themselves. We advise other institutions to empower women and girls by giving them equal opportunities in sports, salaries, health, education and in other sectors of life,” Umuhoza said.

Gustave Hategekimana, 18, is a student in senior 1, and a resident of Rwinkwavu sector, Kayonza district. He gives testimonies of how Shooting Touch helped him to address the situation of conflicts in his family.

“When my parents separated, my sisters used to struggle with domestic works, I learnt that it is important to help them before going to play. Basketball helped me to be busy comparing to the past when we used to aggress girls and to smoke,” he said.

Rosine Ingabire, 24, is a security guard and basketball player. She said that people could discourage her that all these works are for boys and men, but she is now a good player and performs at his daily duties.

Odette Umwari, 30, is a mother of two from Rukara sector, she thanks Shooting touch to train couples in conflicts, who united and re-embraced peace in their households.

Umwari is now a leader of her team of basketball players. Despite their courage and will to play basketball, women and men in Kayonza district claim lack of enough playing grounds and equipment.

Clémentine Nyirarukundo, Program Coordinator of Paper Crown Rwanda explained that this organization strives to change the mindset of youth and adults towards promoting lasting gender equality.

“We partner with Shooting Touch in changing the mindsets of people, enabling girls and women to access equal opportunities in their neighborhoods, we aim to transform gender norms that create violence and inequalities between women/girls and men/boys,” she said.

Alice Muhongerwa, Treasurer of Rwanda Basketball Federation (FERWABA) who participated at the celebration of the IWD said that the federation did not leave anyone behind in promoting gender equity and human rights.

“We believe that both women and men contribute to the development once together,” she said.

Muhongerwa responded to the complaint of women and men from Nyamirama and Rwinkwavu that they do not have enough infrastructures including basketball grounds and enough equipment to enjoy their full potentials in this noble game.

“Building infrastructure is a process, last year we built 2 grounds in Kigali, and we plan to build more upcountry. The Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Sports and Culture are in discussions to build enough infrastructures to promote basketball countrywide,” she said.

Muhongerwa who started to play Basketball at 10 years old, encourages girls to be enthusiast with this game by trying to get skills from coaches and train themselves. She played for different institutions including the University of Rwanda and became a captain of the national basketball team.

Best performers at Basketball gaming competitions were given medals and trophies.

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Five citizens who participated to free testing of NCDs and HIV/AIDS won health insurance for all their family members, covered by Shooting touch.

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