Clare Finnigan of the British Red Cross in Kibungo
The genocide made Rwanda a nation of orphans as a generation of parents was killed. Young families were left to fend for themselves without the practical support and love of their mothers and fathers.
The responsibility of keeping the family unit together fell to the eldest surviving child. But as children themselves they often struggled to provide even simple care such as food and shelter.
The Rwandan Red Cross has established around 30 projects across the country to assist children who have been orphaned as a result of the genocide, or through HIV/AIDS. They have grouped the young families into associations where they can give each other support.
And on a practical level they offer a range of assistance designed to help them become self-sufficient, meet their household needs and go to school.
Felicien Manirakiza is 20 years old and is responsible for the care of his 16-year-old brother Papien and seven-year-old cousin John Bosco. The family have been a member of the association for two years.
“Before we joined I used to live by hunting for food in the valleys. I had a dog to help me hunt but now I no longer need to do that,” Felicien said. “I have goats and a small garden and I hope that when I sell the goats I will get money which will allow me to buy things for my family.”
He explains that the Rwandan Red Cross has helped the boys with the essentials, donating hoes, blankets, kitchen equipment, clothes, school materials and jerry cans – even medicine for the goats if they fall ill.
“I am very grateful because we use these items every day. Had the Red Cross not come there would have been no hope for Papien to go to school,” Felicien explained.
The association has eight families comprising 26 people. Between them they look after 39 goats in a small stable close to their homes. The association started with 17 goats but a successful breeding programme has swelled their numbers and they provide a valuable source of income.
The young family also benefits from the camaraderie and moral support provided by being part of the group. "I built my house after joining the association and my friends here helped me to build it,” Felicien said. “The roof came from my dead father’s house. We all help each other by giving advice and exchanging experiences and working together means it takes less time to finish the jobs.”
Felicien’s association shares a large pineapple plantation with two others and he is hopeful it will provide another source of income: “We have a hectare of pineapples with about 33,000 pineapple plants. Some of the plants are from my parent’s garden and the Red Cross helped us buy about half of them.”
Felicien carries his family and domestic responsibilities on broad shoulders. “I enjoy looking after the young ones and do not mind the sacrifices I have chosen. I did wonder if I should continue with school, but I decided that my brother should go instead.”
And their future? “I hope my brother continues to go to school and then be able to get a job and help support the family. I hope that things will be good.”
Evariste Vuguziga, who runs the British Red Cross-supported programme in Kibungo, says it has succeeded in taking members of the associations out of extreme poverty.
“Before the project some of them could not go to school as they could not afford the 300 Rwandan francs (1.20 Swiss francs, or 95 US cents) per term or the 3000 francs (12 Swiss francs, $9.50) for a school uniform,” he says. “Now they can pay for the school fees and buy books, and the Red Cross can provide a school uniform and school materials.”
Further down the hillside, lives another family in the association. Celistin (18), whose parents were killed in the genocide, looks after his two younger brothers and younger sister.
“Before we joined the association two years ago, life was very bad, We lived by scavenging and begging from neighbours,” he explained.
“We owned nothing but now we have some goats. Life is much better and my brother has been able to continue to go to school, we also have school materials. At least one of us has shoes but I hope that in the future all of us will have shoes. Now we have things like jerry cans and saucepans which we did not have before. I have learned how to take care of the goats and keep them healthy and have gained skills in managing money and doing accounts. I used to get malaria a lot but not now because we have mosquito nets.”
It is tough being responsible for his family, but Celistin also finds it rewarding: “It is a challenge because of lack of money but on the other hand it is a joy that I am standing in for my parents to advise and guide and help them. “Without the Red Cross our situation would only have got much worse.”
He hopes that when his siblings are grown up, “I can be independent, get married and have my own family.”