SFR views Good Governance as a key crosscutting issue throughout all of the thematic areas in our programs. However, in addition, a direct approach to promoting good governance and civic participation is also necessary. SFR’s specific aims in Good Governance are: • To promote good governance and full civic participation as key crosscutting issues.
Strive Foundation Rwanda’s flagship Women’s Economic Empowerment Program is a big focus of the organization’s programmatic activities that focus mainly on capacity building-allowing vulnerable women to help themselves out of poverty and extreme susceptibility. For Strive Foundation Rwanda, women empowerment is about making it possible for vulnerable women in the communities to participate fully in the society through creation of off-farm jobs to fight poverty.
Since 2003, SFR has intervened with five key projects based around protection and promoting the rights of children. Several have already been mentioned in detail above; Early Childhood Development, Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Vocational Training for Out-of-School Youths, and People with Disabilities. In addition to this, in 2009/10, SFR partnered with the Global Fund, and the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF)...
SFR is partnered with Human Help Network (Germany) to provide families with shelter and income generating activities. The family shown in the photograph below was stigmatized as a result of one of the children suffering from epilepsy. Consequently the family found it extremely difficult to find housing. SFR with HHN assisted the family by building them the house shown in the photograph below.
Those groups living with disabilities, both physical and mental, are some of the most vulnerable in Rwanda, often subject to stigmatization and limited opportunity. This program aims to combat both aspects of this through the following aims:
In the past, SFR has partnered with UN Women to implement a community-policing project in order to fight gender-based and domestic violence at the grassroots level.
The objective of Strive Foundation Rwanda’s nutrition program is to provide vulnerable children and youths with adequate sources of nutrition and hygiene. This program manifests in two projects; Early Childhood Development and Orphans and Vulnerable Children living in child headed households (CHH).
The objective of Strive Foundation Rwanda’s HIV/AIDS program is to improve the economic situations and livelihoods of vulnerable people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS through income generating activities support, skills and business management training. In addition, the program facilitates improved access to ARV drugs, treatment and care, and is dedicated to sensitizing communities to ensure that everyone is involved in preventing and fighting against the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The objective of Strive Foundation Rwanda’s CHWs program is to improve the health seeking behavior of TB patients and suspects as well as enhance TB health care service provision at the community level. This involves mobilizing and motivating CHWs using performance based financing; enhancing the performance of community-based health care using incentives in the form of cooperative formation and income generating activities.
Strive Foundation Rwanda’s OVCs program provides ongoing support for the welfare of OVCs in Rwanda. This involves provision of school materials, school uniforms, school fees, medical insurance, nutritional training, psychosocial care and assistance in crops production. In addition, support to the most vulnerable families, many of which are headed by children, is provided in the school holidays through various entertainment activities. For example, sports, poetry, singing, dance and continued psychosocial care through group meetings.
Strive Foundation Rwanda’s Vocational Training program involves provision of theory and practical vocational training in painting, forge-welding, bakery, tiling and plumbing to out-of-school and vulnerable youths. It also involves catch-up and refresher basic education in Mathematics, English and Kinyarwanda. Finally, it involves work readiness training, internship placement, and skilled-youth cooperative formation. By the completion of the program, youths should be equipped with the skills and knowledge of their vocations, as well as cooperative management to improve their individual economic situations.
Strive Foundation Rwanda’s ECD program delivers quality stimulation, psycho-social support, literacy and numeracy for young children, facilitating their transition to primary school. This not only enhances the cognitive development of children, but also increases awareness of health and nutrition issues amongst parents whilst establishing a social and emotional support network for young Rwandan children.
Sustainable development, incorporating environmental protection is very important to SFR’s programmatic objectives as well as Government of Rwanda goals. SFR has currently only run one environmental project – Art for Development. This project aims for the economic empowerment of both vulnerable women and girls. SFR encourages such women and girls to form cooperatives. Within these cooperatives, the women produce different art and craft items and ornaments recycling old materials. For example, the women use empty discarded water bottles, boxes, waste paper etc. The paint comes from the bricks, leaves, charcoal and chalk. Consequently, the items can be sold at market.