Hannah Ministries in Byumba
Hannah Ministries is an organization in the diocese of
Byumba which works with children at risk: orphans, children
infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, children living in "child led"
households, and street children. Originally set up by
Josephine Mujawiyera, wife of Archbishop Onesphore Rawje,
the work was subsequently led by Victoire Uwamaliya, wife
of Bishop Emmanuel Ngendahayo, after he became Bishop
of Byumba in 2011.
Sadly Victoire tragically died in May 2015. The Diocese of
Byumba has set up a Victoire Foundation in her memory to
continue to support those vulnerable members of society
who find it most difficult to support themselves. More funds are urgently needed to save more lives. Sadly the income has reduced in recent years.
Rwanda Direct sends regular support to Hannah Ministries.
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The Hannah Project supports "child led" households to access:
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• Education
• Food
• Medical Expenses
• Vocational Training
• HIV/AIDS Care & Counselling
• Self-sustainable development
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The Hannah Project raises awareness of the children's problems with other community members and advocates for their rights to be protected. It has organized voluntary committees to protect the children at sector administration unit level i.e. local government. It has created and supported exchange forums and mutual counselling between children and adults.
In 2012 Victoire asked the children to define their needs as they perceived them. 4 categories were identified and the Hannah Project endeavoured to help as below
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Agriculture/animal rearing
Enabled 620 child headed families to apply modern farming and soil erosion practices by:
Increasing land productivity by rotationally distributing 620 animals: 20 cows, 300 goats and 300 chickens.
Enabling these families to cultivate selected seeds for vegetables and cereals
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Trading
Enabled 620 child headed families to be involved in small business by:
Improving their access to the means of production.
Offering technical training leading to new employment opportunities.
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Build own house
Hannah Project constructs and repairs houses for extremely needy families
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Continue studies
To improve kindergarten learning for 240 children.
To increase access to vocation skills for 20 families in youth vocational training centres.
To provide 99 families with learning materials in kindergartens
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Scripture Union Vulnerable Children Programme
Scripture Union Rwanda is running a project helping children who are at risk. This project started in 2009 in Kigali. The focus has nowmoved to two new areas of growth in this programme for SU down in the east at Kayonza, and another in the central south west areas of Rwanda at Muhanga. We currently support this initiative through prayer but would love to do more!
The focus is now on vulnerable girls in their teenage years, many of whom have become pregnant and have had to leave home as a result. They then have nothing to live on often turning to prostitution to survive. It's tragic and a country wide problem.
In Muhanga they work with 22 girls (teenagers) a few with babies, at a house given to SU. They are thrown out by their families and need care. They are provided meals and love living in the small shared bedrooms. They have Social Worker support and a Teacher providing primary schooling in the mornings and skills training in the afternoons - dress making. A few are learning English and go to secondary school. They have lunch and dinner together and cook here such as Sorghum /amasaka porridge. Their lives are transformed and as they learn skills a route out of prostitution is opened and indeed reconciliation with their families is also encouraged.