Rwanda Gift for Life understands that while anti-retroviral medication is key to treating AIDS, a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach is essential to ensure that physical, mental and emotional health are regained and maintained. To achieve this, balanced nutrition is paramount, as are trauma counseling and secure home conditions. Enrolling children in school provides hope for the future. At the same time sustainable economic independence is critical to long term health and well-being.
GOAL:
The goal of Rwanda Gift for Life is to address these interconnected factors so the participants can recover from ill-health, trauma, poverty, the isolation and low self-esteem that comes with stigma and replace despair with hope and a belief in themselves.
Phase 1:
Support survivors who have joined the project to access good nutrition, schooling for their children, decent housing, trauma counseling and comprehensive medical care and other essentials specific to each woman’s needs, to help facilitate the recovery of physical, mental and emotional health.
Phase 2:
Work with the participants in the program to establish and register income-generating associations and support the design and implementation of sustainable economic enterprises so that reliance on direct support is no long necessary.
Phase 3:
Monitor and evaluate the progress of the women and their business enterprises to ensure sustainability, and continue to provide additional support where necessary.
The program has now completed Phase 1 and is focusing on Phase 2 while it expands its work to encompass Phase 3.
Rwanda Gift for Life 