FXB Rwanda Newsletter March 2022

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER JANUARY -MARCH 2022

Website: www.fxbrwanda.org

Email: info@fxbrwanda.org

Tel: +250 780 925 908

P.O Box: 188 Kigali

François Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Rwanda Vision: Creating a world fit for children Mission: Addressing the root causes of poverty as a means of securing children’s rights to survive, grow and develop.

Dear partners and stakeholders, It is great pleasure to welcome you to the organization's January-March 2022 Newsletter.

The newsletter highlights the key achievements

of

FXB

Rwanda

programs in the mentioned quarter.

I grab this opportunity to thank all donors, partners, and stakeholders who

made

these

achievements

possible. I appreciate everyone's role and contribution to supporting the most vulnerable families in Rwanda.

FXB Rwanda Executive Director

1

KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS HEALTH, HIV AND GBV PREVENTION Under USAID Turengere Abana Program: During this quarter, 25,628 Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) were empowered to stay HIV/AIDS-free through 141 maintained Safe Spaces (Icyumba cy’Umukobwa) in Nyanza and Rwamagana where well-trained mentors facilitate ongoing education on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), Empowering Livelihoods for Adolescents (ELA), Gender Norms, Sexual Consent, and life skills with approved curriculums. The mentors also deliver other services aiming at preventing HIV new infection, GBV, and teen pregnancies among AGYW aged 10-24.

AGYW attending safe space in Rwamagana district

During this quarter, 6,234 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and 16,791 Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) at high risk were referred for HIV testing. They all got tested and the ones who were found HIV positive were supported to access care and treatment.

During this quarter, we implemented the Coaching Boys into Men (CBIM) intervention to promote positive masculinity. In this intervention, sports coaches from 14 schools in Rwamagana and 12 schools from Muhanga district who were trained in the CBIM program provided 12 series of anti-GBV sessions to the young boys of 9 - 14 years old to inspire them on methods to avoid any form of violence.

2

In this CBIM intervention, 52 athletic coaches have coached 2,172 young boys aged 9-14 with a comprehensive and evidencebased violence prevention curriculum.

These young boys aged 9-14 in this intervention express gratitude as they benefit the learning package from the joyful moment of playing.

10-14 Years Old Boys Getting Coached of Violence Prevention

Under AMIE & FXBVillage Gasharu II Programs: We conducted

HIV vulnerability risk assessment for beneficiaries

who are at high risk to be referred for HIV testing. A total of 512 beneficiaries in the AMIE project and 188 beneficiaries in FXBVillage Gasharu II were found at risk and referred for HIV testing. Before conducting risk assessment, the program staff sensitizes beneficiaries on the benefits of knowing their HIV status.

The information and messages on HIV/AIDS prevention are also delivered to all project beneficiaries.

3

Under NSP-HIV/TB Global Funds Program: In the period of 27-30th March 2022, we conducted behavior change communication campaign in Gakenke district with the aim of preventing HIV new infection among the key populations, specifically Injecting Drug Users (IDUs). The football sport was used as the best channel to bring together around 20,000 people and reached them out with messages on fighting against HIV spread through Drug use and creating a conducive stigma-free environment for the key population.

Trophy to the Winning Team & Players Displaying message on HIV Prevention through Drugs Using

In this campaign the sector football teams competed for the trophy prize. The Kamubuga sector team won the competition.

FXB Rwanda Executive Director, the mayor of Gakenke district & Nemba Hospital Director General delivered messages around HIV prevention among key populations

4

On 31st March 2022, we held quarterly stakeholder meetings in all districts of intervention (Kamonyi, Gakenke, and Musanze). The meetings aimed at discussing challenges faced by the key populations and sensitizing local officials as well as health providers on Key population inclusion and fighting against discrimination towards them specifically in HIV & other STIs prevention as well as ensuring their general well-being.

Meeting participant giving the opinion on creating stigma-free environment for key population

From March 10 to 17, 2022, we partnered with Musanze, Gakenke, and Kamonyi districts to conduct Peer Educator’s Training to shine a light on HIV prevention methods, behaviors Change communication and increase of Income Generating Activities among Men having Sex with other Men (MSM), Female Sex Workers (FSW), and transgender as the way of reducing HIV new infection among them.

Peer educators'training participants

5

EDUCATION Under USAID Turengere Abana Program: During this quarter, we provided education support including school fees and scholastic materials to 35,286 Adolescents Girls and Young Women (AGYW) and Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in second and primary education as well as 1,453 AGYW and OVC in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). We continued to monitor these beneficiaries' performance at schools.

Under FXBVillage Gasharu II: 0n January 9, 2022, under this holistic program graduating poor families from poverty to selfreliance in Nyamirambo sector, Nyarugenge district, we supported 450 students with school fees, scholastic and hygienic materials.

Under AMIE Program: 300 Adolescent Girls and Young Women in AMIE program also received educational support and academic performance encouragement from our staff on January 9, 2022.

6

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT Under USAID Turengere Abana & AMIE Programs: During this quarter, we continued to support 7,568 members constituting 262 Internal Saving and Lending Groups (ISLGs) with both financial and technical support. A total of 3,085 members in 101 AGYW ISLGs specifically got financial support of 24,870,000 Frws to back their savings to sustain their income-generating activities for attaining economic resilience.

From 17th to 30th March 2022, we trained 407 TVET graduates beneficiaries in financial literacy with the objective of providing additional skills around best management practices for the jobs they are creating. This number of graduates got this additional package to the previous support of fees payment to attend TVET in various trades

7

On International Women’s Day #IWD, March 8th, 2022, the AMIE Project beneficiaries in 16 Village Saving Lending Associations (VSLA) were supported with 10, 570, 000 Frws to facilitate the lending activities for IGAs. The beneficiaries in the USAID Turengere Abana program also got supported with sewing machines, goats as well as solar panels that play role in electricity provision with limited effects to climate change as it was embedded in the theme of the #IWD of 2022

Under FXBVillage Gasharu II: 160 families got supported with Individual Income Generating Activities (IGAs) startup capital. 880 families also got supported to join the collective IGA, where the program rent for them three (3) lands for cultivating vegetables and provided needed materials including seedlings, manure, and fertilizers.

8

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Under Sugira Muryango Program: From February 25 2022 till March 29, we conducted 6-month booster session to the 8,903 beneficiary families (who previously received ECD and violence prevention modules) to assess if they are still practicing the good ECD practices learned including practices around early stimulation, good nutrition, good hygiene, good health, positive parenting, family conflicts resolving, stress management among others.

The 6-month booster session started with refresher training for 33 Sector level staff, 172 Cell mentors, and 2500 Friends of Family (IZUs) across the three districts of operation( Ngoma, Rubavu &Nyanza). After this training, the IZUs joined the 8,903 families for this purpose. Generally, the families show continuous abidance to the good practices of ECD learnt.

Under Nutrition & WASH Program: 137 malnourished children and 17 malnourished pregnant women in sectors of Gacurabwenge and Runda, Kamonyi district continued to benefit from integrated ECD support. The program supported the malnourished ones to receive a 12 days intensive balanced diet support and regularly provided additional nutritional support with regular growth monitoring measurements services as well as enrolling the caregivers in cooking demonstrations..

9

WASH AND NUTRITION Under FXBVillage Gasharu II: Under the FXBVillage Gasharu II, on the 9th January 2022, 160 families received household hygienic materials to support them to cope with WASH conditions. The materials received were: jerrycans, big bowls, buckets, cups for drinking water, blankets ,and jags.

Under Nutrition & WASH Program: We provided 2 schools (GS Kigembe/Gacurabwenge sector and GS Runda Isonga/Runda sector) tanks; 5000L and 10000L for rainwater harvesting. The schools and authorities were glad to get such support. Additionally, the students from these schools as well as teachers and authorities get regular messaging regarding the WASH practices, and how the tanks can be used productively to solve the water shortage problem as well in dealing with climate change effects.

10

On the 9th and 10th February 2022, we conducted the activity of culinary demonstration collaborating with health facilities to support parents whose children manifest malnourished symptoms to prepare a balanced diet. The activity brought together 150 parents at both Kamonyi and Gihara Health Centers learning balanced diet preparation with locally produced food. A total of 150 beneficiary families continued benefiting from this program during this quarter.

Under FXBVillage Gasharu II: On 27th January 2022, 30 community volunteers who are committee members of (AVEC) Saving and lending groups were trained on Nutrition by health care providers. The training sharpened the participants’ knowledge and skills on balanced diet preparations, the importance and components of a balanced diet as well as special meals for young children, lactating and pregnant mothers. These volunteers started spreading the learned knowledge to the 880 program beneficiaries to improve their WASH and nutrition conditions.

Additionally, total of 160 beneficiary families received the financial nutritional support in this quarter too.

11

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT During this quarter, FXB Rwanda has maintained its high level of stakeholders engagement by remaining active in the districts of operations and national government institutions and other partners On 8th March 2022, we joined Rwanda, specifically districts of operation to celebrate International women’s Day 2022 under the national theme of "Gender Equality to address Climate Change”. The organization participated by providing both financial and best wishes messages to female stakeholders

On March 18, 2022, under USAID Turengere Abana Program, we attended a seminar organized by the Gender Monitoring Office (GMO) in partnership with other NGOs working in Muhanga District to assess what has been achieved in the field of Gender Equality and the prevention of sexual violence. Both Mayor and the Director of GMO commended the FXB Rwanda’s role in promoting women’s rights.

12

On 02, February 2022, our Sugira Muryango Program staff attended ECD & Child Protection sub-cluster meetings and few days after attended USAID Education Office’s 1st Quarterly implementing Partners meeting.

Sugira Muryango staff also organized and attended meetings with stakeholders such as National Child Development Agency (NCDA), and Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA) to share Sugira Muryango's achievements and desired scale-up in the upcoming years.

On 23 March, 2022, Nyanza district recognized and appreciated the role of FXB Rwanda in district development over the past 5 years.

13

On 31st March 2022, the USAID Turengere Abana program Quality Improvement Meeting at the Rwamagana District level was held in Eastern province Hall. The aim of the meeting is to bring together stakeholders for better implementation and sustainability of the program activities. Both the Mayor and Vice Mayor of social affairs commended the partnership between the local authorities and Program's contribution on improving the well-being of the population.

UPCOMINGS FXB Rwanda continues its usual work in the coming quarter and welcomes the continuous collaboration!!

END

Read More on us or Get in Contact

14