Protecting children with the USAID Turengere Abana Program

Program start 2012

Impacted population 400 000

FXB Rwanda conducts an extensive program to protect vulnerable children and youth through the USAID Turengere Abana project.

Context

Rwanda is still affected by the 1994 genocide, during which nearly one million Tutsis were massacred. The democratically elected Rwandan Patriotic Front gradually restored order, security and then civil service and ensured the stability of the country.

Rwanda was one of the few countries that had been able to achieve most of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Substantial progress has been made in poverty reduction, education and HIV prevention.

Despite these successes, Rwanda is still a poor country, ranked 160th out of 189 by the latest UNDP Human Development Index in 2020. It faces significant development challenges. Chronic malnutrition, poor infrastructure, lack of access to electricity, early childhood development, child mortality, the quality of education and the prevention of violence against children all require sustained attention.

Our action

The Turengere Abana “Protecting Children” program, funded by USAID and implemented by FXB Rwanda since 2012, aims to improve the social and economic well-being of orphans and vulnerable children and their families, with a particular focus on those infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS.

This large project has been implemented in the districts of Huye, Burera, Musanze and Kayonza until 2020 and is currently being expanded in Muhanga, Rwamagana and Nyanza.

It aims to support early childhood development, primary and secondary schooling, and vocational training for vulnerable children and youth. It also promotes the economic empowerment of their families through their involvement in savings and credit groups and the creation of income-generating activities. Young people and adults are sensitized to HIV/AIDS prevention and sexual and reproductive health.

In addition, the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe) component aims to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS infection for girls, adolescents and young women aged 10 to 24 through HIV prevention activities and sexual and gender-based violence. They are also supported in primary, secondary and vocational education, psychosocial and interpersonal skill-building, and economic empowerment.

RWANDA

Africa

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Mission start

1995

Impacted population

1,000,000

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Program impact

In the first 8 years of the program, significant improvements have been made in the lives of tens of thousands of children and adults in the areas of nutrition, education, health, access to water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), and economic strengthening.

The nutritional status of 72,000 children under the age of 5 and 32,000 pregnant women has been improved.
26,000 children, adolescents and young women were able to attend primary or secondary school regularly thanks to the payment of their school fees and the provision of uniforms and school materials.
1,073 young people have been supported in their vocational training through the payment of their training fees and the provision of appropriate equipment. At the end of their course, they received training in project and financial management and toolkits to help them create their own business.
50,000 children and youth have been sensitized to HIV/AIDS, gender-based and sexual violence.
7,200 girls, adolescents and young women have already benefited from the DREAMS program.
50,000 families, representing more than 200,000 people, have been sensitized to water, hygiene and sanitation issues. They have improved their behavior in this area as well as their family infrastructures.
17,000 people were enrolled in savings and credit groups.

Testimonial

FXB's intervention helped us face the death of our parents and manage the stigmatization, as well as enabling us to solve our sanitary, schooling and nutrition problems. What a joy for us to finally be able to build our future.

Oliver