Changing lives in 20 child-headed homes in Rwanda

Summary

This project will improve the lives of 20 children head of households and their siblings in Rwanda. These children are orphaned or have been abandoned by their surviving parent and the oldest are forced to work to put food on the table, protect and support the younger ones going to school and get medical care when they fall sick. You can change a life by donating for their school material, pay health insurance or give the older one a means to make a living from hairdressing, sewing or farming

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Over 3% of Rwanda's population or 300,000 children are living in child-headed households, a legacy of the genocide and subsequent war, HIV/AIDS epidemic and in recent times perpetuated by social and family break-down (child abandonment, teenage pregnancies etc.) Children growing up in these households face extreme poverty and chronic food shortages. Most of the children drop out of school because they need to work to put food on the table. They are also vulnerable to violence and abuse.

 

How will this project solve this problem?

ACORD has a long experience in supporting child-headed households in rural Rwanda. Securing food or income from farming activities, bicycle taxi, hair dressing or sewing is life-changing. Getting a school uniform and material reduce drop-outs and having health insurance is a life-saver. Legal support to register their land and having a proper house can transform their lives. See a documentary film here on how your support can break the cycle of poverty and isolation.

Potential Long Term Impact

We will support 20 child headed households and their dependents, a total of 60 children in Musanze district in the Northern province of Rwanda. The project will reduce the extreme poverty of this vulnerable group of children by enhancing their access to education, health services and proper shelter, increase their income and food security through helping them start income-generating and farming activities of their choice. Those in need will also get legal assistance to register their land.

 

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: £3,700
Remaining Goal to be Funded: £817
Total Funding Goal: £4,517
Total Number of Donors: 93

How Can You Help?

Donate £6 to pay for school uniform or school supplies for a child in a child-headed family
Donate £15 to pay for health insurance for the child head of household and his/her siblings for 1 year
Donate £18 to buy a mattress for a child who usually sleeps on the floor
Donate £30 to buy a hair cutter allowing a child head of household to start a small but sustainable business in hair cutting
Donate £40 to pay for legal advice on land ownership and registration for a child-headed family
Donate £59 to buy a sewing machine or a 'taxi' bicycle to generate income for a child head of household and his siblings
Donate £297 to pay for enough seeds to feed 10 child-headed families after harvesting
Donate £2,080 to build a proper house for a child-headed family, 6mx7m in simple bricks covered with iron sheets, two bed rooms and a sitting room

 

  • children
  • livelihood
  • rwanda