The Solution – Local Church, Public and Private Partnerships

In 2005, the churches of Rwanda and the Government of Rwanda expressed their desire to become the first nation to embrace the PEACE Plan. To that end, the spiritual leaders of several churches created the “Rwanda Purpose Driven Ministries/ PEACE Plan” (the “Rwanda PEACE Plan”) and formed an interdenominational church steering committee (the “Rwanda Steering Committee”) to determine the best way to implement the Rwanda PEACE Plan.

The Steering Committee has included Orphan Care as a key element in its five year strategic planning process.
The churches in Rwanda are the most influential source of care and support. As the distribution center for hope in a community, the local church is best able to identify needs and support interventions.

The Rwanda Government, local communities, churches and families have led the way in caring for orphans and vulnerable children, yet the problem of children raising children remains a critical issue. The First Lady of Rwanda, Mrs. Jeanette Kagame, established housing and care for orphans following the horrific genocide of 1994. Family reunification has also been emphasized, and while many families have been reunited, child headed households remain.

Strategies:

• Sponsorship through the Local Church: The Initiative develops a new model for orphan care whereby financial sponsorship will be directed to the local Rwandan churches rather than faith-based organizations. Using this model, the local churches will identify families in their communities who can provide care and shelter for the children. Financial assistance will then be given to these families to purchase food, clothing, healthcare and education.

• Promote Church-Based Foster Care/Home Care: The churches in Rwanda have expressed interest in developing a system related to foster care or home care for orphans in their community, by helping design a foster system based on best practices, many families in Rwanda can be formed and lives saved. This process will help save orphaned children by offering essential care and guidance that a family system provides.

• Develop Drop- in Church Care and Transition Family Care for Street Children: The unique needs of street children have been identified by researchers across the globe. Safe and healthy environments for street children are critically needed. A church-based program that accommodates the needs of street children will provide daily contact, food and support for children on a limited basis.
Transition Family Care will be developed to support the re-integration of street children into homes. Street children often have difficulty integrating into family setting as their ability to tolerate structure has been compromised due to the unhealthy amount of autonomy and self-parenting done on the street. The Transition Shelter is a phased- approach intended to ease a child into a normal family setting with greater success.
• Promote Domestic Adoption by Families in Churches: Many Rwandan families care for children in their home, however, few go through a formal adoption process. Research has shown that the legal adoption process promotes health and well being of the adopted child as they gain legal rights and an environment of security for future healthy development. Programs to promote and support adoption, similar to those in other countries, can be launched so that children can be in families permanently.

• Facilitate the establishment of an International Adoption Agency: Many children have been left without a home or hope for the future. These children deserve to be given a chance at life. International adoption is an option which recognizes the sovereignty of a country to care for its orphans by setting laws and procedures by which children may be safely adopted. Fewer than a dozen children have been adopted to the United States in the last five years. The Rwandan government is committed to partnerships with recognized agencies to help mitigate any issues related to adoption. This proposal will help establish the necessary structure to increase international adoptions as appropriate according to Rwanda will and law.

• Increase Capacity of Orphanage workers & Eliminate the need for Orphanage Care: Research shows that raising children in an institutionalized environment is not the most optimal setting conducive to the emotional, physical and cognitive development of children. However, measures can be taken to improve the setting in its physical elements and staff expertise. For example, orphanage workers can be trained to better understand child development thus promoting healthy growth and development. The large number of varied interventions in this Initiative will help Rwanda achieve its goal for the cessation of orphanage care.

- Enhance Technical School and other Life Skills training through the Church
Children who grow up with skills for life will make positive contributions to their families and society. In keeping with Rwanda’s long-term goals for children, the technical school and life skills training which focus on micro-enterprise and efforts to sustain oneself without external assistance is essential. Education is key to long term remedies for children who are orphaned and vulnerable.

• Prevent Children from Being Orphaned through Education and HIV treatment for Expectant Mothers: The role of HIV prevention education is important as it reduces the number of HIV infections, thereby decreasing the risk of a child becoming orphaned. Additionally, effective treatment for the HIV positive mother during pregnancy and delivery greatly increases her chances for survival and subsequent ability to parent her child. In one study, 58 orphans were prevented when their mothers received antiretroviral medication during pregnancy.

Ongoing Collaboration and Research in Child Development and Health The local church in Rwanda wants to be the leader in learning what the unique issues are in Rwanda and what is necessary to promote the survival of children. In collaboration with other experts, the Orphan Care Initiative will provide new information for better outcomes and a better life for children in the