Holistic Empowerment for Rwandan Youth

One Day’s Wages is partnering with ZOE Ministry to empower orphans and vulnerable children in Rwanda to eliminate dependency on charity and become fully self-sufficient.

Why Rwanda?

The 1994 genocide in Rwanda left an estimated 860,000 children orphaned and/or vulnerable. While relief has been poured in to help rebuild the country and the lives of those left in the wake of the tragedy, research has shown that global poverty crises cannot be solved solely by relief efforts. Relief, as a solution to long-term poverty, creates dependency rather than economic independence. Even partial empowerment solutions including education, micro-lending schemes and medical care do not simultaneously address the multiple issues which hold children trapped in extreme poverty. Orphaned and/or vulnerable children are often subject to trafficking, prostitution, slavery, disease, and other common abuses.

ODW + ZOE Ministry

One Day’s Wages is partnering with ZOE Ministry to support a total of 300 children within three Rwanda empowerment groups. Each group will consist of 60 to 100 children, including 20-30 child heads of household ages 12-20. This comprehensive, child-led, three-year program will empower vulnerable children to pull themselves out of extreme poverty permanently, with an 85% rate of success. Building on a foundation of indigenous staff, community leaders, and local resources, we will support orphans and vulnerable children to become entrepreneurs who are socially, economically, and spiritually strong, transforming entire communities in the process.

In the first year of the empowerment group, the children will achieve the following:

• Each household will have at least one individual business and one group business
• Sustain a steady source of food through income
• Create an agricultural and livestock project
• Establish safe and secure housing
• Improve hygiene, knowledge, and access to healthcare systems
• Ensure an understanding of child rights and how to enforce them
• Re-enroll children in formal education or begin vocational training
• Restore hope and a future plan for their lives
• Form strong and enduring bonds with a supportive group of peers.

Join us!

Join us in empowering 300 Rwandan orphans and vulnerable children to create a sustainable future for themselves, their siblings, and their community. The progress bar above includes our intended match amount of $12,180 for a granting total of $24,360.