We join the world to celebrate Thinking Day

The World Thinking Day started with an aura of excitement that was generated eventually in the previous week. Now the World Think Day was here! Rwandan Girl Guides were so much excited to live the day, that every guide around the world has been waiting for during the past days. A day where we are reminded of our purpose as girl guides and a day were we get to celebrate, as the huge worldwide family we are!

This 22 February 2018 was special as we got the chance hug and celebrate WTD2018 with our very own Carine Ruremesha (The Deputy World Center Manager at Sangam) and we celebrated it with the Africa Region as Larissa Byll Cataria, who is a member of the African Region committee was present too.

The day started with diverse plays and chants celebrating who we are, led by the AGR youth committee. That was followed by a ceremony held at the headquarter of Association des Guides du Rwanda. Guides who attended the event shared a WTD delicious cake. Different guides talked about their journey as girl guides and elder guides gave inspirational talks to young guides.

Late in the evening, Association des Guides du Rwanda had a holy mass with a purpose of thanking God for how far AGR has reached and to present the association’s future plans. The mass was held at LYCEE NOTRE DAME DE CITEAUX, one of the high schools in Kigali where Rwandan guides have a troop. The mass was attended by different guides, from diverse religions and also the Rwandan Scout Association joined in that mass celebration. In addition, the mass was led by the priest who is in charge of Guides and scouts in Rwanda as one of his responsibilities.

On 25 February 2018, we celebrated the World Thinking Day officially in Rulindo and at the same occasion launched a national campaign against Teen Pregnacy. It was a fun and memorable day for the Girl Guides and the community joined the festivities. We were glad to be joined by Africa Region committee representative Larissa Byll Cataria who is also AGR advisor, we truly thank her for daily support. The Vice-Mayor in charge of Social Affairs also was part of the celebrations and congratulated Girl Guides for their valuable contributions to the country's development.

Throughout 2018, Girl Guides in Rwanda will consistently deliver sessions on sexual reproductive health to boys and girls (11-24), give them tips on how to say NO to abusers while learning saving and basic entrepreneurship skills. Our commitment is to reduce teen pregnancy remarkably in the areas where this issue is prevalent and we call everyone to join the rally.

“We never fail when we try to do our duty, we always fail when we neglect to do it”, said Lord Baden Powell. The Rwandan guides are trying to live each day as a WTD by doing a good return in their communities and #ThisIsImpact.