Here are some family members who live on the outskirts of BUTARE, the main city of the province of South Rwanda, a few kilometres from the border north of Burundi. The density of the population throughout the region is very high and many of them live in poverty. The medium family income is a dollar a day...

The economy is based on family farming at a subsistence level, but many do not have any land to cultivate, which causes a variety of types of poverty: unemployment, begging, prostitution, etc. Plus widows and orphans are numerous.

We have accompanied this family since they took in 4 orphans.  Besides regularly provided help (school material, children’s clothing, baby food), we have talked over with the couple, who have no agricultural land, how best to help them obtain sufficient income to support independently feeding and educating of their children.

The wish of the 35-year-old father Patrick, who works from time to time at irregular jobs, is to be able to practice the job of “motorbike-taxi” in order to earn a living for his family. He has a driver’s licence but until now has not been able to buy his own motorbike.

Through the Rosalie Project, we hope to be able to get a motorbike for Patrick so that he may have the means of providing for his family of 10: the couple, Patrick’s mother, seven children, 4 of whom are newly placed orphans.  These children are between the ages of 11 and 2, 5 of whom presently attend elementary school and the future must be faced!

Our Community of the Daughters of Charity of Butare has taken on this project of getting Patrick into the cooperative that legally manages the association of motorbike chauffeurs. In this cooperative, whose statutes are recognized by the government, the youth are able to provide this mutual service of motorbike taxi and get credit at banks to expand their activity.

The motorbike taxi is a very useful means of transport in the city…
and represents a significant living wage for those who can practice this job

The fact of obtaining this motorbike for this man is not only a way of making it possible for him to have a regular job, but it is also an awareness call to the poverty of others.  Furthermore, Patrick will repay his debt little by little over 2 years in order to help another family. Thank you in advance for your support!