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Country Director Berra Kabarungi’s Journal
January 2005
It is with pleasure that I write to you about what’s happening with our program in Rwanda.
There are currently 1,292 women participating in our program here in Rwanda. They all send their warm greetings and appreciation! This quarter 442 participants graduated from the Sponsorship Program and how I wish I could send you a picture of their happiness!
We recently hired a new Income Generating Coordinator, Specioza, to help us create more opportunities for women to improve their family’s economic situation. Specioza will identify new vocational skills training that are viable in our local market. Currently, Women for Women International – Rwanda provides all vocational skills training out of our offices in Kigali. One of Specioza’s responsibilities will be to identify other organizations that are already providing vocational skills training classes. We hope to partner with these organizations so we can provide a greater variety of classes, and so we can offer classes to women that live further away from the office. In 2005, we hope to use these partnerships as well as our own vocational skills trainers to provide new trainings in areas such as hairdressing, leatherwork, catering and food processing, welding, ceramic kitchen utensil production, batik or tie-dye, and jewelry-making.
Former Country Director Wendy Shapiro’s Journal
September 2004
The last quarter was a very busy one for the Rwanda office, with staff traveling to the US, a number of national holidays, and a visit from Women for Women International supporters. It also marked the beginning of the Rwanda Chapter’s transition to a 100% national staff.
In June, staff members Berra and Anne-Marie and I attended the annual Country Director’s meeting in Washington, DC with the directors from all of Women for Women International’s country offices. This was the Rwanda staff’s first opportunity to see Women for Women International’s headquarters and to meet so many of the people with whom we communicate regularly. It was their first time in the US, and they were particularly struck by the busy multi-tasking of Americans as they raced down the street with cell phones in one hand and lunch in the other! The visit has had a significant impact on our program already as the first-hand understanding of all of our operations makes it easier to work together.
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Former Country Director Wendy Shapiro’s Journal
May 2004
Women for Women International-- Rwanda opened the doors of its Chapter Office in Rwanda on March 1, 2004. Having finally received official registration as an international non-governmental organization from the Government of Rwanda in February, we moved operations out of our local partner, Speak I am Listening’s office, to our own site.
We selected our office due to its easy access for participants, its welcoming atmosphere for rights awareness education and vocational skills training workshops, and the space available for growth. We also hired a number of new staff whose energy and ideas have already made a notable contribution to our program. Our urban participants now come to our office for regular workshops with their trainers in the garden bungalows outside our office space, while the purchase of our own vehicle and the hiring a full-time driver/logistician have made visits with our rural participants easier.
Former Country Director Wendy Shapiro’s Journal
March 2004
The last few months have been relatively calm in Rwanda. The new government is up and running and though there are always adjustments to a new system, things are moving forward. The repatriation of Rwandan refugees from neighboring countries began again (there are still thousands of Rwandan refugees in Africa – in particular in Uganda and Congo). This repatriation has occurred in waves since the end of the genocide, but the Government of Rwanda, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is hoping to move toward the conclusion of the repatriation. Unfortunately, the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the international court established in Arusha, Tanzania to try high-level genocide suspects, is moving more slowly than most Rwandans would like. The domestic rural court system for lower-level offenders, called Gacaca, is also plugging along, but not without controversy. Rwandans have little faith in the court procedures and because the process is so time consuming, their interest is beginning to diminish. There is also increasing fear of participating in the trials due to backlash against witnesses. With the 10 year anniversary of the genocide approaching (April 7th is considered the first day of the genocide) Rwanda is preparing both emotionally and physically to both address the past and move forward constructively.
Women for Women International – Rwanda moved forward with its goal during recent months to open a formal Chapter of Women for Women International in Rwanda. Until now, we have implemented our program in Rwanda through a local partner, “Speak, I Am Listening.” In February we received official registration as an International NGO working in Rwanda. This transition will allow us to bring a greater variety of rights awareness and leadership education, vocational skills training, and income-generation support to the women we work with. We look forward to future collaboration with Speak, I Am Listening and they will be our new neighbors, but we are also excited about entering this next phase in our growth and success!
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