Exploring opportunities for collaboration between Canada and Rwanda
Florence, Family Strengthening Program participant in Kayonza with Thomas Bauer, President and CEO of SOS Children's Villages Canada.
Thomas Bauer, President and CEO of SOS Children’s Villages Canada, visited Rwanda earlier this month. During his stay, he visited SOS Children’s Villages in Kayonza with his colleague, Jean Bosco Kwizera, the National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda.
“We are delighted to receive you and look forward to a great collaboration with the entire team from SOS Children’s Villages Canada,” explained Jean Bosco.
The National Director provided an overview of SOS Children’s Villages program interventions across 15 districts in Rwanda, including supporting children who lost parental care at SOS Children’s Villages and their reintegration with their families and communities. Jean Bosco reiterated the role of SOS Children’s Villages in rehabilitating children living or working in the streets before reintegrating them with their families.
“Most of the children 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.
Thomas explained that his visit aims to establish a relationship and explore opportunities for collaboration between SOS Children’s Villages Canada and SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda for the wellbeing of vulnerable children.
“I would like to understand the intervention of SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda and share my experience with colleagues at SOS Children’s Villages Canada to explore ways of future collaboration,” Thomas added.
Thomas and Jean Bosco visited Florence’s family. Thanks to her enrolment in vocational training and support from the SOS Family Strengthening Program, Florence’s family is now financially stable.
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 Rwanda started to support me and my children.” Thanks to her participation in the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) and her son’s enrolment and graduation from vocational training, the family was able to improve financially.
They also visited Jeannette, 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 the streets.
Thanks to the project’s support, the children are enrolled in school and are performing well. Jeanette has been attending training 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, which she used to improve her children’s nutrition and start an animal husbandry business.
Robert Sande, in charge of SOS programs in Kayonza, explained that the SOS Village in Kayonza consists of nine family houses with 57 children, a nursery school, a primary school, a secondary school and a technical and vocational education training school, which enrols children and youth from the community.
SOS Children’s Villages in Kayonza is supporting:
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350 vulnerable families through the Family Strengthening Program;
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257 families through the Kura Umenye Project; 155 foster families, 40 small group homes; 165 children who have reintegrated with their families and;
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20 teen mothers pursuing vocational training in tailoring in partnership with the Rwasamanzi Foundation.
SOS Children’s Villages in 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.
From left to right: Jean Bosco Kwizera, the National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda; Thomas Bauer, President and CEO of SOS Children’s Villages Canada; Robert Sande and other local staff.