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This summer, AIGINET added several board members and held its first board meeting during which its mission was reviewed. A roadmap was drawn for achievable organizational goals to help transform the lives of children with special needs, vulnerable women and marginalized youth in the communities of Adar Tubahoze and Duhozanye.
Our target to raise $3,000 this summer towards purchase of a corn processing mill for Adar Tubahoze was reached. A committed board member donated the full amount needed ($ 6,000 ) for purchasing the mill. The corn processing mill will enable the community center to start a value chain agribusiness focusing on production, marketing and sale of maize for local consumption and animal feed. This economic empowerment venture will not only generate a sustainable income for Adar Tubahoze, but also improve nutrition in the Rango community. The corn processing mill has yet another role, to provide experiential education and serve as a therapy tool for children with disabilities who will learn skills and become an active force in the production of maize.
Through AIGINET’s collaborative efforts with International Medical Response, a team of USA doctors comprised of Josh Schriller and Mayano Ochi traveled to Rwanda in August and delivered a successful training on emergency primary care to 10 nurses at Rango Healthcare Center for the benefit of Adar Tubahoze’s children and the local community. An excerpt from Mayano's August 15th blog can be found below.
“We have gotten excellent feedback so far, and are in preliminary discussions with the director of the area hospital--who had attended our first day--about expanding our curriculum to multiple clinics district-wide. In addition, there has been interest among several groups in the area for IMR to serve in a supportive role for medical and psychiatric evaluations of Rwandan widows and orphans..."
The Duhozanye Association, a target beneficiary and partner of AIGINET is comprised of elderly survivors of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. This community is making slow but steady progress in scaling up the "Babehafi Project", (Babehafi translates as
"Be Close to Them"). Babehafi is an innovative and holistic approach to elderly care mainly due to limited geriatric expertise and funding. AIGINET is dedicated to support the professional development of Babehafi's social workers. We are happy to announce that Duhozanye has received a grant which will pay for one Babehafi Project social worker to attend the Empowerment Training at the Institute for Social Transformation (New York) in January 2016. It is also intended that while in the USA, the selected social worker will have the opportunity to attend other short-term trainings in elder care specialized institutions.
On the home front, in an effort to strengthen the organization's core capacity, AIGINET is recruiting two volunteers/interns to provide support in strategic partnerships, advocacy and grant research. The job descriptions are available to download from the AIGINET website.
Stay tuned for our next recruiting event for the 2016 volunteer trip during "AIGINET’s Thousands Hills Fall Bash" scheduled on October 22nd. We hope you can join us to hear the experience of friends who have participated in AIGINET’s community development and cultural exchange trips. Do not miss the opportunity to be part of this great life changing experience in 2016 and sign up today. The application form is available on our website. Sign up today!
We cannot thank enough so many AIGINET’s friends who believe in our mission and continue to stand with us. It is only with your support that we can make progress that matters most for Adar Tubahoze and Duhozanye!
Thank you so much!
Claire Umubyeyi
Founder and Executive Director AIGINET
