VENUE:Kimisagara Maison des Jeunes

DATE: 28th July 2022

Various reports and studies have shown the lack of appropriate entertainments for children in Rwanda.

There are tragic examples of what can happen when children basically have nothing to do with their time, It is obvious that children today are living in an extremely different world than the one most of us grew up in. Things that they do and say today and that they consider normal, most of us would have never even thought about while we were that young. Children nowadays in urban Rwanda spend more of their time watching TV or either playing video games and tend to find normal what they see in cartoons and movies and try to identify themselves with the characters.

We are Motivated by a chronic the lack of proper entertainment infrastructure in the country. The few entertainment activities available in Rwanda are largely beyond the financial capacity of the average Rwandan; RFF goes to pupils every year and selects a series of some of the best children’s films.

Humor and laughter are two key elements of the blossoming of children, particularly orphans and street kids in the Rwanda context.

In developed countries, entertainment is being used more and more to increase the general knowledge of children in a funny way. Video games, cartoons circus, etc. are some of many forms of entertainment that contribute in the education of the modern child. They originally entertain but with some efforts they can be converted into infotainment that is relevant for our children.

We believe that all children, particularly orphans and non-accompanied, need to be entertained so that their harsh conditions can be alleviated. But they need to be given a basic education through cinema because of its cheapness and potential for a wide reach.

We do not pretend to educate children with only films but we hope that at least after watching some very well selected films especially those in their mother tongue, they will be inspired by the story lines and heroes in the film to do the right things.

This program is the opportunity to inform and sensitize children on various issues through animated or short films.

At the Rwanda film festival, films for children and youth are given high priority. Children and youth develop and change with times, so does cinematic art that is destined for them.

Children panorama will be the ideal opportunity of entertaining and educating children on some issues that they face in their daily lives. Educational animated films will be screening to children at Saint Paul and at the Maison des Jeunes de Kimisagara where the 6th Rwanda film festival gathered up to 1000 children in one day. After every film, there is a participatory discussion where the children are asked a series of questions and at the end of the panorama children share biscuit and sodas.

These two sites are selected in order to reach a large number of children from different conditions.

The only way to reach the children is to get in touch with different primary schools, authorities, youth centers, orphanages, announcing the programme on radio stations and posting of flyers in the city of Kigali.

Official letters asking the assistance will be sent to twenty (20) primary schools of Kigali city, two (2) youth centers and one (1) orphanage. 300 colored flyers were distributed in the city of Kigali and radio contact FM and radio 10 announced the event at least five (5) times each.

The target primary schools are the following:

Ecole Primaire “sainte famille”

Ecole Primaire camp Kigali

Ecole Primaire EPA

Ecole Belge de Kigali

Ecole Primaire Intwali

Ecole Primaire de Kivugiza

Ecole Primaire ESCAF

Ecole Primaire APACOPE

APE Rugunga

Ecole Primaire de Kimisagara

Ecole Primaire la Colombiere

Ecole Internationale de Kigali

Kigali Parents School

Ecole Congolaise de Kigali

Green Hills Academy

Ecole Primaire de Remera

Ecole Primaire Petit Prince

APAPER

Ecole Primaire Karoli Rwanga

Orphelinat Gisimba François

Maison des Jeunes de Kimisagara

A list and research will be conducted in order to know more primary schools around which might be interested in having 10-20 pupils joining the Carte Blanche Children event.

We are targeting around 1200 children from Kigali city and for more visibility of the event; we will talk to TVR, the national broadcaster to produce a TV program from the event that can be aired on TVR.

This event should stand as an opening arised for the Organizations dealing with children Rights a great opportunity to launch some of their campaign on children issues.

Objectives

The main objective of creating such an event is to promote the right of children through quality films screenings.

Target groups/Beneficiaries:

Primary school children (about 1000 kids)

Parents, Children Rights Protection’s NGOs and Teachers.

Expected Results:

Debates with children on the films presented during the event

Creating a database of kids interested in filmmaking/cartoons and institutions involved in supporting children right’s.

Sharing of experience

Evaluation questionnaires of the event

Promoting children’s rights among about 1000 participants

1 or 2 Television Stations

3 Radios

5 written press articles in the various magazines