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At Rwanda’s national museums, children are spending their school holidays learning traditional dances, games and crafts in a program designed to preserve cultural values and steer them away from idleness.
The initiative, led by experts in Rwandan history and culture from the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, began in July when schools closed. It targets children ages 6 to 13, giving them hands-on lessons in heritage while encouraging creativity and social interaction.
Sessions are held at the Museum of Kwigira and the King’s Palace Museum in Nyanza, the Ethnographic Museum in Huye District, and the Art and Contemporary Museum in Kicukiro.
“We want to protect children from distractions like movies or wandering the streets,” said Jérôme Karangwa, director of the Ethnographic Museum in Huye. “Here, they learn what will benefit them in the long run, so they grow into guardians of culture.”
Children practice rope jumping, wrestling and other traditional games, as well as household chores such as grinding grain and weaving baskets. They also make necklaces, pottery and other crafts.
“We stimulate their brains so that even if one of them later invents a robot, it could be rooted in the creativity we instilled,” Karangwa said.
The program has drawn excitement from participants. Jella Berwa, a young student, said she had long been curious about the King’s Palace in Nyanza. “I saw the royal cows and where the king hosted people,” she said. “We even learned about the post where the king would pardon those who had been punished.”
Lidivine Umutesi said she enjoyed learning traditional dance: “Now I know how to dance gukaraga and gutemba.”
Parents praised the program for teaching discipline. “Children who come here are different,” said Alphonsine Uwizeye, whose child attends in Nyanza. “At home, they are respectful because that is what they are taught.”
The Rwanda National Police supplements the lessons with safety tips on preventing house fires and coexisting peacefully, while the National Child Development Agency provides sessions on nutrition and hygiene.
Launched in 2023 with 112 participants, the program expanded to 213 children in 2024 and has enrolled more than 500 this year. It will close with a Children’s Umuganura Festival on Aug. 29, where participants will showcase their skills to their parents.
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