FOSTER FAMILY TRAINING

From 6th to 8th October 2021, in Peace Village Center was organized a foster family training for parents who received children who used to be raised in the aforementioned village. Participants were foster parents from seven districts: Kicukiro, Gasabo,Kamonyi, Rwamagana, Rulindo, and Bugesera

On the agenda was:

1.Information sharing on foster family situation and how to fight against Covid 19 and other diseases
2.Children’s situation during holidays and preparation for the school year 2021-2022
3.Progress of Small projects funded by SINAPISI RWANDA via Bahoneza Solidarity Fund

Before proceeding to the training room, every participant had to wash his/her hands with hand sanitizer and was given a new face mask as measures to prevent the contamination of Covid 19.

While in the training room, the Secretary General of SINAPISI RWANDA NGO, Mr Pierre Gahunga KEMAYIRE briefed the participants that apart from having washed their hands with hand sanitizer and wearing properly a new face mask, they also had to pass before an agent of RBC for Covid 19 test. This exercise was well done and none of them was tested positive.

INFORMATION SHARING ON FOSTER FAMILY SITUATION AND HOW TO FIGHT AGAINST COVID 19 AND OTHER DISEASES

Parents, one after another, gave a general view of their family situation. From what they said, it was noticed that there was no major problems in foster families and that almost all of them have enough knowledge on Covid 19 and measures to observe in order to fight against it as well as other diseases.

Meanwhile, SINAPISI RWANDA Secretary General introduced Sr. Anastasia MUKAMPARIRWA, who used to be daily with the children in Peace Village Center before it was closed. It was a pleasure for her to meet foster parents again because she used to visit them in order to know their whereabouts, but due to religious formation she attended, she went missing for a while. She promised them that since the formation is over, she will get an opportunity to visit them again.

CHILDREN’S SITUATION DURING HOLIDAYS AND PREPARATION OF THE SCHOOL YEAR 2021-2022

On this point, the officer of National Child Development Agency (NCDA) in Kicukiro District, Ms. Denyse MUREKATETE who was invited to the training to listen to foster family challenges and requests, urged foster parents to tell her about children’s situation and the challenges they encounter in raising children who are not their biological ones.

Among the challenges raised by foster parents include the following:

– Local authorities don’t facilitate them in issuing documents to get support from the Sector or District
– It is hard for foster parents to be awarded construction permit to extend their houses so as to have enough space to accommodate children.
– Some children are hard to manage

Having noted all these challenges, the NDCA officer gave them some pieces of advice.
Concerning support to raise children placed in families, she made it clear that the funds have been allocated to all districts by the government of Rwanda to support children with serious problems and children living with disability. Therefore, she advised them to follow the structure (from the village up to the district) and in case local authorities don’t easily offer them the service they are requesting, she gave them a hotline number for assistance: 711

For the issue of construction permit, she promised that she will contact the authorities in charge to sort out this issue. Regarding children behavior, she advised foster parents to not harass children but as parent, to provide him/her some advice and if this does not yield good results, a foster parent could look for another parent to help him to give advice to that child. The NCDA officer further asked foster parents to show patience, love and tolerance to children and also make sure that children are doing what they are supposed to do. She also gave them her phone number so that they can call her in case of need.

SMALL PROJECTS FUNDED BY BAHONEZA SOLIDARITY FUND IN COLLABORATION WITH SINAPISI RWANDA

Ms. Ilibagiza Alice, Coordinator of Bahoneza Solidarity Fund gave to the audience a brief background of this Solidarity Fund which was created under the initiative of Jean Baptiste SENGAYIRE, founder of SINAPISI RWANDA NGO. After realizing that people should not rely only on help from overseas, and in view of creating self-reliance in people, Jean Baptiste came up with the idea of establishing this Bahoneza Solidarity Fund, which helps its members to carry out small projects by giving them low interests loans. Apart from that, this fund helps its members, especially foster families, to make savings and use them in case of financial challenges without requesting always support from SINAPISI RWANDA.

Ms. Ilibagiza Alice appreciated that foster parents who have been awarded loans are respecting loan agreement, which is a good thing for others who wish to get a loan.

So far, seven foster parents have been given support for their small projects of breeding pigs and hens. Their projects are well progressing and they are expecting a good production in few months.

Pig farming project