Child sponsorship update from Kigali
26/03/2008
Update from November 2006
Dear Sponsors
It is great pleasure that we take this occasion to transmit to you our recent developments of SOS Children’s Village of Kigali in Rwanda. Children, SOS mothers and also the SOS staff, send to you their sincere warm greetings.
The SOS children’s Village of Kigali accounts nowadays a total number of 151 children (75 girls and 76 boys). Among these children 109 attend the SOS Primary School of Kigali and 18 are in the SOS Nursery School of Kigali. On 30th June, a young boy aged approximately 1 year and some months was found just near the bush around the SOS Primary School of Kigali and was admitted to the SOS Village. Some children (a total of 11 children and among whom 4 are girls and 7 are boys) were transferred to the SOS youths homes.
In January, the SOS Village received members of the Rwandan parliament, visited our SOS Village in order to put into action the government directives of the inspection of the centres which admit orphans and other vulnerable children.
2 SOS youths got married and was organised in the SOS Children’s Village. . On 28th May, a celebration was organised for the SOS Mothers. This was an occasion of the SOS Children and the SOS youths to thank their SOS Mothers for the education and affection offered to them.
A youth’s camp of the SOS sub region was organised for the Great Lakes SOS Children’s Villages Youths. The event took place in August in SOS Children’s Village of Rutana in Burundi and the SIS Village was represented by 20 youths. The Global Peace day was celebrated in the SOS Village on 23rd September. Various activities were carried out; children played football, running competitions and participated in other local games which they all appreciated. The day was organised by the “Right to play”, an International Organisation working in Rwanda in fighting the HIV/Aids through games.
Since 2005, the SOS Village started a family strengthening programme in the aspect of the prevention children abandonment. At present, Kigali accounts 100 children as beneficiaries of the programme.
The SOS Community of Kigali actually has 64 youths and among which 26 are girls and 38 are boys. Among them, 52 studies in the senior secondary school, two attend for their professional studies and 9 studies in the Universities and one is without a job.
The SOS technical school of Kigali is actually has an experience of 2 years. It has 128 students (35 girls and 93 boys). Among these students, 29 are SOS Children from the 3 SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda. From SOS Children’s Village of Kigali, we have 4 boys and 4 girls attending in the Rwanda SOS technical school. The pass rate of our SOS youths attending this school is 100%.
The Primary school of Kigali now has 661 students and among which 109 pupils are from SOS. The SOS Nursery School has 98 children and among which 18 are SOS children.
SOS Children’s Village of Kigali, also has a Medical centre which gives medical care for SOS Children and the SOS staff and also the populations surrounding the SOS Village.
We stop here by sending to you our sincere thanks for your devotion and for the unceasing contribution by the sponsors in favour of children and the entire SOS Children’s Village of Kigali. We also transmit to you our best wishes for the forth coming Christmas and for the New Year 2007.
With best regards,
NTABANA Louis
Village Director, SOS Kigali, Rwanda
Sponsor's update from Gikongoro
Update from June 2007
Dear Sponsor .,
The Village currently accommodates 115 children including 60 girls and 55. The rights of the child were the priority to us. Children meet and they propose to us solutions in the field of promotion of their rights.
This year, an external consultant Psychologist began a research within the SOS Village on
the difficulties encountered by the children and his recommendations are currently implemented.
In order to continue to improve the framing of the children, sportive activities are organized each afternoon, some times competitions between the children of the SOS Village are organized (family houses one up to six make a team, 7 up to 12 another) and the spectacle is very competitive and amusing.
Our SOS children, young people and the personnel gradually adhere to it. We hope that the medical expenses for the medical care at the SOS Village will be decreased. A national campaign against malaria produced effects and this year the disease declined.
Twenty two children of the SOS Village allowed at the secondary school or in training schools were immediately transferred to the youth’s hostel. The houses occupied by our youths in the city are currently six for a total of 73 youths. Two youths were reintegrated in their communities.
The family strengthening program, progresses rather well. It assists 150 children in 92 families but the reinforcement and the autonomy for these families will maybe be difficult. The families are always numerous (the average of 6 children each lady), a poor country, low level of education and a big number of orphans.
We reiterate our sincere gratitude for your long lasting support towards the life of our SOS Children’s Village of Kigali and briefly, these are news and developments of our SOS Village during the past six-month period.
Best regards,
BAZERA Sebugwira,
Director
Child sponsorship update Byumba
Update from Summer 2007. (This report is by someone whose first language is not English)
Dear friends, dear sponsors.
We have the pleasure of transmitting to you with this biannual report, the sincere salutations of the personnel and the families of the SOS Children’s Village of Byumba.
This year, we have 150 children in our 15 family houses. We have 73 boys and 77 girls. The norm of 10 children by family home is well respected.
Two Byumba SOS Youth’s homes of shelter respectively 39 young boys and 33 girls. This year, we opened the supervised houses for 8 young boys and 11 girls. They are located in Kigali where these SOS youths follow higher education. Four young persons were emancipated in January.
This year still, we transferred 22 children to the SOS Youth’s homes and this enabled us to accept 22 new children to the SOS Village who had been in situation of misery. There are 3 babies among these new children. Most of these children, presented malnutrition cases. The SOS Mothers and the nurses try their best to reanimate them.
In the domain of the Family Strengthening Programme started, 150 children are assisted. We pay scholastic expenses for these children. We have 24 children in the senior secondary school. Food assistance goes diminishing to the advantage of the generative activities of income. All these children and their families are affiliated to the mutual insurance company of health. So, one treat on them in very few fertilisation
The scholastic results of the 1st term are satisfactory, both in the primary school and in the senior secondary school. The rate of success is 82,3 % in the primary school and 79,6 in the secondary.
In the University, 8 SOS grown up boys and 6 girls evolve well. A girl acquired a bachelor's degree in Social sciences with a distinction. Other one had a certificate A1 in Sciences Nurses.
We had much rains from December till March of this year and crops were negatively affected. Certain foodstuffs become rare and dear on the market. The mums are able to stand for some deprivations.
Dear sponsors, courage, commitment, mutual trust and responsibility make our force. We make everything so that every child of the Village grows in a climate of disease of respect and security and results are satisfactory.
We are aware that without your contribution, we shall never attain results. Therefore please find here, dear sponsors, the expression of our feelings of thankfulness.
RWABUHUNGU Callixte
Manager
Relevant Countries: Rwanda.