Rwanda: Using innovative poker games to promote sexual and reproductive health among the youth.

When Jeannette Rutibita was going through puberty in her early teens, she could not discuss with anyone the hormonal and physical changes she was experiencing.

'I was shy to talk about it with my parents, relatives, or friends,' she says. 'I didn't even understand what was happening to my body.'

Now at 19 years old, Jeannette is using an innovative way of promoting sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) to her schoolmates at St. Dominique Savio Bumbogo located 17 miles from Kigali, Rwanda's capital city.

'I can now confidently discuss sexual and reproductive health issues with my mother and classmates,' she tells Africa Renewal.

Fellow student Jean D'amour Kubwimana, 20, adds: 'I used to never talk about these issues, but now that I know more, I talk to my friends and others in my community about them.'

Benoit Ndagijimana, creator of Ishema Ryanjye

What changed?

Jeannette and Jean are participating in a project that uses a popular card game known as 'Ishema Ryanjye' - meaning 'My health, My dignity' in Kinyarwanda, to discuss and learn about SRHR, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and gender promotion.

They are also raising awareness of issues facing adolescents, including feminine hygiene, drug abuse, family planning, unsafe abortion, HIV and AIDS, among others.

Twenty-eight-year-old Benoit Ndagijimana, president of the non-government organization Health Promotion Organization, invented the Ishema Ryanjye card game in 2021. WHO Rwanda is financially and technically supporting the project.

WHO support

The WHO Representative to Rwanda, Dr. Brian Chirombo, says that Ishema Ryanjye is breaking barriers and facilitating discussions on sexual and reproductive health.

'Through our technical and financial assistance, we are empowering young Rwandans and their guardians to engage in traditionally taboo conversations on sexual and reproductive health in a playful way through Ishema Ryanjye card games.

WHO Representative Rwanda Dr Brian Chirombo

'We aim to help young people access accurate information so that they can make informed decisions about their health. Engaging young people in peer education on SRHR ensures ownership, sustainability and will contribute to long-term outcomes.

'We hope that this innovative approach will be scaled up and adopted by others locally, regionally and globally.'

Mr. Benoit, who has a Bachelor's degree in Human Nutrition, Dietetics and Public Health from the University of Rwanda is motivated to 'Integrate what we want...