Respecting People Who Are Different

1Everybody is different

Look around your class. No two children are exactly the same. People can be different in many ways:

• Some pray in a church, some in a mosque, some at home.
• Some come from your village, some from far away.
• Some are tall, some are short; some run fast, some use a wheelchair or crutches.
• Some families are rich, some are poor.

Being different is not being wrong. It is simply being different. And every single person deserves to be treated well.

2What does respect look like?

Respect means treating others the way you would like to be treated, even when they are not like you. Let's see it in action. This is our worked example.

• Habimana cannot run in the running game. → The class chooses a game he can join, so nobody is left out.
• Your friend prays at the mosque while you pray at the church. → You stay friends and never laugh at how he prays.
• A new pupil speaks a little differently. → You listen kindly instead of teasing.

Notice: respect is not just "being nice with words." It is doing something so the other person is not left alone.

3Why does this matter for Rwanda?

Rwanda is one home for many kinds of people. When we respect everyone, our country stays peaceful, and everybody can learn, work and be happy.

Words can build or break. If you use words that make fun of someone's religion, village or body, you break peace. If you welcome people, you build it.

So the rule is simple: treat every person as your neighbour, because they are.

Try it yourself

Think first, then tap Show answer to check.