The Daughters of Charity at the service of the promotion of women in Rwanda

Kicuriko is one of the districts on the outskirts of the city of Kigali in Rwanda. This agglomeration is inhabited by poor families who live in several slums.

 « Poor people live from agriculture, small trade and eventual work: construction, road repair, housekeeping, with a low income, just to survive from day to day without thinking about the next day, » says Sister Olive

About 50% of the population of the district is Catholic, the other 50% is made up of different faiths: Muslims and other Christian and non-Christian faiths « But, until now, there is a good expectation between the different religions. »

In this region, the Daughters of Charity run a kindergarten and primary school with 361 pupils (half of whom come from poor families) and provide home visits to support and care for the elderly and sick. They also try to devise responses on the ground to any situation of poverty.

As part of this mission, the Daughters of Charity work to help women become autonomous and responsible for their lives and are committed to giving them access to a deserved place in their society through training and entrepreneurship.

An income-generating activity for 10 women

Victims of poverty, mothers struggle to meet the basic needs of their children: food, schooling, clothing, and medical care. They try to survive through small outpatient businesses, which have unfortunately been banned by a new law that has just been enacted.

« It is necessary to carry out a recognised trade and in places accepted by the local authorities, otherwise mothers are often caught and punished. Those who do so risk prison and the payment of fines. To access these markets, you need a certain amount of capital in order to sell and to be able to pay all the taxes provided for by the law »  Sr Olive

The Daughters of Charity have therefore decided to help 10 women by contributing to the installation of business premises in accordance with the law and to buy the basic equipment necessary for the construction of these stalls.

The support of the Rosalie Projects will make it possible to top up this initial investment to finance the stock enabling these mothers to sell fruit and vegetables, basic necessities, cooked meals and clothing items....

These 10 women will be accompanied by the sisters in the definition of their objectives and in the follow-up of the management of their business

Objectives for these 10 women :

- To sensitise and train them on their right to have a dignified job

- Awaken their capacity to promote themselves.

- Train them in business management, budgeting and savings

- Ensure the economic growth of their families.

There are so many ways of giving charity. The small amount of relief in money or kind that we give to the poor cannot last long. We must aim at a more complete, more lasting good: study their aptitudes, their degree of education and try to provide them with work in order to get them out of trouble - Sr Rosalie Rendu

Thank you very much for supporting them in this professional project