On December 21, 2021, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Honorable Prof. Jeannette Bayisenge, the Director General of the National Child Development Agency, Mrs. Nadine Umutoni Gatsinzi and the Advisor to the Minister, Mr. Ufashingabo Patrick visited SOS Children’s Village Kigali.
The visit aimed to strengthen the partnership between SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda and the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, to show the operations of the SOS alternative care model, its challenges, and an opportunity to address requests to the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion and its agency NCDA. Currently, SOS Children’s Village Kigali cares for a total of 181 children and youth. Out of the 181 children, 78 children are attending the nearby SOS primary school and 103 are in tertiary education.
The delegation visited one of 10 SOS family houses and was received by a SOS mother who explained her daily schedule. She cares for her seven children 24 hours a day. Her aim is to contribute to the future of the country by raising the children. A child is received at SOS Children’s Villages when he or she has lost parental care.
“The bond to our SOS Mother is so strong that the relation holds a lifelong”, explained a medical doctor who grew up at SOS Children’s Villages and who visited SOS to provide a testimony to the Honourable Minister: “I came to SOS when I was only 5 years old in 1995 as I lost parental care. SOS cared for me and paid my education. Today I am a medical doctor and newly married. I would not have achieved all this without my SOS mother who supported me tremendously”.
Since the National Child Care Reform stipulated in 2012, SOS mother’s first mission is to continue to support the tracing of the child together with the National Child Development Agency. As of today, 8 children Juliette cared for were successfully re-integrated into the community.
Addressing the Minister, Juliette requested on behalf of all SOS Mothers in Rwanda to help them to advocate for getting the official status of volunteer parents called ‘Malayika Murinzi’, or ‘Guardian Angels’.
After the visit, the delegation received an overview of the current 14 projects implemented by SOS Children’s Villages including child re-integration, family strengthening to prevent child separation, youth employability, mental health and psychosocial support, ASRHR, oral health and a green project.
The Honorable Minister thanked SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda for its remarkable work. She recommended to continue to work on the root cause of children in street situation and pledged her support and collaboration with SOS Children Villages Rwanda and strongly called on the National Child Development Agency and other agencies to work together with SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda for the interest of children.
The visit was covered by two media houses Igihe Ltd and RBA. Addressing to the media, the Honorable Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion Prof. Jeannette Bayisenge said that SOS Children’s Villages care model is like a family that is why SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda is caring for children who lost parental care. SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda supports the Government of Rwanda in the promotion of child rights and protection to ensure that children who have lost or are at risk of losing it receive appropriate alternative care and protection that serves their best interest.