Thomas Bauer, President and CEO of SOS Children Villages in Canada is visiting SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda. During his stay, he visited on 16th May 2024, the SOS Children’s Village in Kayonza with his counterpart, Jean Bosco Kwizera, the National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda.
The National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda, Jean Bosco Kwizera, expressed his high appreciation for the visit of the President and CEO of SOS Children’s Villages in Canada. “We are delighted to receive you and look forward to a great collaboration with the entire team from SOS Children’s Villages in Canada,” explained Jean Bosco.
The National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda provided an overview of SOS Children’s Villages program interventions across 15 districts including admission of children who lost parental care in SOS Children’s Villages and their reintegration back into their families and community. Mr Jean Bosco reiterated the role of SOS Children’s Villages in the rehabilitation of children from street situations prior to reintegrating them into their families.
“Most of the children we admit from street situations come with emotional needs and problems, these are children with troubling thoughts and feelings, who are suffering from loneliness, isolation, and shyness that need a lot of reassurance from others,” explained Jean Bosco.
President and CEO Thomas explained that the aim of his visit is to establish a relationship and explore opportunities for collaboration between SOS Children’s Villages in Canada and SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda for the well-being of children.
“I would like to understand the intervention of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda and share my experience with colleagues at SOS Children’s Villages Canada to explore ways of future collaboration,” Thomas added.
President and CEO Thomas and the National Director of SOS Children’s in Rwanda visited the family of Florence Habikumwiza who is now financially stable thanks to her enrolment and support from the Family Strengthening Program. Florence explained, " After the tragic death of my husband, I received support from SOS Children’s Villages, I used to live in extreme poverty until SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda started to support me and my children.” Thanks to her participation in the Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) and her son’s enrolment and graduation in vocational training, the family was able to improve financially.
They also visited Jeannette Nyirakaruhije, a beneficiary of the Kura Umenye Project since 2022. Prior to her enrolment in the project, she had a tragic accident that resulted in the loss of her leg. Due to the persisting poverty and lack of food in their home, her three children ended up on streets. Now, thanks to the support from the project, the children are enrolled in school and are performing well. Jeanette has been attending trainings on positive parenting and child rights. She is now a member of a VSLA and is selling roasted maize to improve her income.
The project gave her a cow to improve the nutrition needs of her children and start an animal husbandry business.
Robert Sande, the Head of Kayonza Program Location explained that SOS Children’s Village in Kayonza consists of nine family houses with 57 children, and a nursery school, a primary school, an O’level Secondary School and TVET School which is also enrolling children and youth from the community.
SOS Children’s Village in Kayonza is supporting 350 vulnerable families through the Family Direct Empowerment program, 257 families through the Kura Umenye Project, 155 foster families, 40 small group homes, and 165 children reintegrated in their families.
In partnership with the Rwasamanzi Foundation, SOS Children’s Village Kayonza is supporting 20 teen mothers to pursue Vocational Training in tailoring.
SOS Children’s Village Kayonza was established in September 2010 to respond to the alarming needs of children who lost parental care due to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, family conflicts, polygamy and poverty.