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Members of Rwanda Youth Volunteers in Community Policing (YVCP) will Sunday hold their third annual congress in a bid to strengthen their role in human security activities and crime prevention in particular.
The one-day congress to be held in Kigali is expected to attract about 500 members of the organization drawn from across the country to represent their colleague, and all the 30 District Community Liaison Officers (DCLOs).
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Damas Gatare, the Commissioner for Community Policing in Rwanda National Police (RNP), the congress will discuss key issues related to strengthening partnership, draw fresh commitments to jointly address crimes like Gender based Violence and child abuse and teenage pregnancies, among others.
“This is the opportune moment for participants to listen and acquire knowledge and practical skills from several senior government officials as well as strategic guidance from RNP leadership, share best practices and knowledge on some underlying crimes in communities, and subsequently draw renewed commitment to stay focused to their ultimate objectives,” said ACP Gatare.
Rwanda Youth Volunteers in Community Policing (YVCP) during their second annual congress last year.
The youth organization was founded by students from different higher institutions of learning back in 2013, when it started with about 100 members. The number has now grown to over 200, 000 members today.
The youth group closely works with RNP and Community Policing department in particular in daily activities related to anti-crime awareness and crime prevention, as well as community development activities.
According Eric Bayisenge Twahirwa, the Secretary General of youth group, on top of anti-crime awareness activities, they have over the years also undertaken varied activities including donating livestock, paying health insurance premium and building houses for poor families, among others
Genesis of YVCP
“As students, who had just completed university studies, we felt like we needed to contribute in building our country. We, therefore, drew the example from our brothers and sisters, members of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), who put their lives on the line to liberate this country,” Bayisenge said.
“We were driven by an ideal value of patriotism, that’s why we launched our group on October 1, 2013 – Patriotism Day,” he added.
Rwanda Youth Volunteers in Community Policing (YVCP) during their second annual congress last year.
The Minister of Local Government Francis Kaboneka commended the role of youth volunteers towards improving the welfare of the people.
“They have been our key partners, especially when you consider their role in mobilizing their fellow youth and members of the communities into becoming partakers of government’s varied development programmes,” the Minister said.
He added: “They played a crucial role to sensitize and encourage the public not only to participate in the presidential elections but also to ensure that they become peaceful, which is something commendable.”
He pledged the government’s continued support in community security and development activities and to bring more youth on board in their noble cause.
