RUBIRIZI – Women have been encouraged to harness the untapped potential of tourism and cultural heritage as powerful engines for boosting household income and lifting families out of poverty.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The call was made by the Rubirizi district Tourism Officer, Mucunguzi Didas Magezi, while addressing members of the Kicwamba Women Creative Bee Initiative at their offices in Kicwamba Sub-county.
Mucunguzi expressed deep concern over the disturbing trend of children who are always sent onto roads to beg from tourists visiting the national parks, describing the practice as harmful and damaging to Rubirizi’s image.
He warned that security agencies have been directed to begin operations on all roads in Rubirizi to arrest parents who send their children to beg, with legal action to follow.
“Sending children onto the roads to beg from tourists is not only harmful to the young ones, but it also destroys Rubirizi’s image and drives away the very visitors we depend on. Security agencies have been ordered to arrest any parent using children as beggars or disguising them as guides,” stated Mucunguzi.
The officer further encouraged parents, particularly women, to venture into practices like handicraft making, so that items can be sold to tourists to earn a living rather than sending children onto roads to beg.
Mukundane Scovia, Chairperson of the Kicwamba Women Creative Bee Initiative, highlighted the group’s bold steps to combat household poverty by empowering women with practical handicraft and business skills and promoting a saving culture.
“We are taking bold steps to fight household poverty by equipping our women with practical handicraft and business skills. Through promoting a saving culture and income-generating activities, we aim to improve living standards, instill discipline, and encourage responsibility,” said Scovia.
Twinamatsiko Nickolas, Chairperson of the Rubirizi Tourism Committee, urged people to harness tourism for family development while condemning poaching as damaging to wildlife and tourist numbers.
“I urge women and youth to use tourism as a tool to boost their families and secure long-term development. However, let me be clear: poaching destroys our community’s tourism potential and has already caused a serious decline in both wildlife and visitor numbers,” noted Nickolas.
Tumushabe Edrida, the Rubirizi district Senior Community Development Officer, commended women for starting handicrafts to become self-reliant, noting that families facing poverty and hunger can overcome these challenges if parents work together to sustain their homes.
She urged women to live with dignity, stop begging husbands for money, and condemned those who disrespect their spouses, encouraging them instead to use handicrafts and creative projects to earn and support their families.
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