Eastern Province Leaders Tackle School Dropouts, Teenage Pregnancies

The retreat brought together provincial leaders, district executive committee members, council chairpersons, and representatives from government institutions operating in the region. Discussions focused on obstacles affecting community development, such as family conflicts, child labor, and teenage pregnancies.

Governor Pudence Rubingisa said the issues often prevent families from improving their livelihoods. “Family issues are our biggest concern. We have children out of school because they are used for labor. Even if the numbers are small, it worries us because these are our children. We also have girls who fall pregnant, and while we support them, those responsible must be held accountable,” Rubingisa said.

Gatsibo District Mayor Richard Gasana said the retreat allowed leaders to share innovative initiatives and strengthen collaboration across all administrative levels. “We committed to solving identified challenges by working together, from the district level down to villages. Previously, not all structures were aligned, so this retreat gave us a clear roadmap to collaborate effectively,” Gasana said.

Participants also resolved to boost innovation to tackle community challenges, build staff capacity, strengthen teamwork for faster implementation of government programs, improve service delivery, and use technology for data collection and monitoring performance.