Contribution to international development report: 2018-2019

Chapter Two: Rwanda

2.1 Introduction

Scotland’s ongoing relationship with Rwanda has been cemented over the last decade by support and activities between the two countries, particularly in the areas of education and economic development. The Scottish Government has pledged to support Rwanda’s ongoing social and economic development and to contribute towards Rwanda’s commitment to achieving the SDGs.

Under our Rwanda Development Programme 2017-22 there are now seven projects in Rwanda, totalling £8,776,334, supported by the Scottish Government under our IDF, all of which completed their second year of activity in 2018/19:

• Health: Oxfam Scotland for the “Claiming Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Rwanda” initiative;
• Health/Education: Water Aid to improve health and sanitation in communities and schools of Nyamagabe district in Rwanda – addressing sanitation and hygiene with particular emphasis on most affected categories of people including women, girls, disabled people and elderly. Taking a global citizenship approach and supporting WaterAid, Scottish Water employees have raised funds for this project in Rwanda and the Scottish Government funded project in Malawi;
• Education: University of Aberdeen to foster a social practice approach to adult literacies for improving people’s quality of life in Western Rwanda that can be managed and delivered by local institutions in order to support people’s livelihood through poverty reduction and inclusive socio-economic development; and
• Sustainable Economic Development/Agriculture: CBM to implement SaveAbility – Socio-economic empowerment of persons with disabilities in Rwanda; Opportunity International for Strengthening Livelihoods in Rural Rwanda; Tearfund for Sustainable Economic and Agricultural Development Project; and Challenges Worldwide to promote sustainable economic development in Rwanda through building the capacity of Rwandan coffee cooperatives and community members.

Additionally, project grants are awarded under our Small Grants Programme for Rwanda as a partner country – with details at Chapter Five and current Small Grants at Annex C.

Strengthening capacity is the second funding stream of our IDF, and provides funding to a number of peer-peer partnered institutions from Scotland and our partner countries. In Rwanda, during 2018/19 we provided funding to support the Social Enterprise Academy to form a partnership to establish an SEA in Kigali. This will join a franchise of world-wide SEAs connected into the SEA in Scotland – on a regional basis, with Zambia and Malawi in the SSA circle (also funded by Scottish Government), along with South Africa.

For this 2018/19 Report we have again selected as case studies just a few of the Rwanda projects we support: Tearfund: Sustainable Economic and Agricultural Development; Oxfam’s Claiming Sexual and Reproductive Health rights in Rwanda; and our partnership with Comic Relief in Levelling the Field – Cricket Builds Hope, discussed in this chapter. All our Rwanda projects, however, are summarised in the Annexes (e.g. in Annex A), where there are also links to each project’s End Year Report.

2.2 Levelling the Field – Cricket Builds Hope

2.2.1 The Project

Cricket Builds Hope is a charity that harnesses sport – cricket, and the spirit of the game – as a tool for positive social change. Cricket Builds Hope is the successor organisation to the Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation, which was founded in 2011 to build the country’s first proper cricket ground – the Gahanga Cricket Stadium, which opened in 2017.

Rwanda’s high-level support for women’s rights is credited as one of the key ways in which the country has rebuilt itself after the 1994 genocide. Although Rwanda is gender progressive, Cricket Builds Hope believes there is more to be done as Rwandan cultural norms still result in girls being less likely to speak up in a classroom, professional, or in community environments. Gahanga Sector in Kigali, where the new cricket stadium is based, is no exception. Women from low income groups can lack the confidence to contribute to household and community decision-making, and electoral activity in these groups is minimal which is resulting in the under representation of such young women. In Partnership with Resonate, Cricket Builds Hope has developed a project to unlock the leadership skills of young women in Gahanga.

1 No Poverty

5 Gender Equality

Funded by the Scottish Government in partnership with Comic Relief, through the “Levelling the Field Programme”, the cricket initiative provides Action Leadership learning that combines classroom-based workshops. The young women also receive complementary cricket sessions to provides the opportunity to apply newly developed leadership skills in a cricketing context. Once completed participants then undertake community projects to address existing challenge in their communities.

2.2.2 Contribution to Development 2018-19

50 young women from low income groups in Gahanga Sector in Kigali have completed the course and been equipped with leadership skills such as goal setting, public speaking and self advocacy. They have been introduced to the sport of cricket and its team-building aspects and the participation in sport for these women has also had a marked effect on their well-being and confidence.

Together with the participants, Cricket Builds Hope have also been able to implement 16 community projects that address different challenges faced by Gahanga community members, such as: malnutrition; poor sanitation; and poverty. These have been complemented by Monthly Clubs with talks from inspirational female leaders from Rwanda, to cricket open days and days of community service and training courses for women to become cricket scorers!

IDF Case Study 5A: Cricket Builds Hope

Alice, a single mother of two, after attending the workshops said:

“I understand that my fear of not being good enough limited me before from achieving my goal but now I believe in my abilities and above all, I have been able to start a small business”.

Hear more about her story here.

IDF Case Study 5B: Cricket Builds Hope

Mukeshimana said:

“I am now a skilled and confident woman. For women to succeed, they have to believe that it all starts with them. We should always put into consideration that we can achieve anything, and so we should never give up or give room for failure”.

Read more about Mukeshimana here.

(Right – cricket sessions)

IDF Case Study 5C: Cricket Builds Hope

Right: Classroom based workshops

Right: Community service: Building local bricks to be used to complete the house being built by the local government for a homeless community member.

2.3 Tearfund: Sustainable Economic and Agricultural Development

2.3.1 The Project

Agriculture is the main economic activity for 70% of the population of Rwanda. Despite positive advances in recent years, food insecurity and malnutrition remain critical issues, particularly for smallholder farmers in rural communities. Many farmers are wholly dependent on agriculture for survival and poverty remains high with 38% still living in poverty and 16% in extreme poverty. Agricultural methods remain out of date and farmers are increasingly vulnerable to land degradation, soil erosion and climate shocks.

The Tearfund Scotland project works with 30,000 smallholder farmers in four districts in Southern Rwanda. The project aims to help develop climate-smart agricultural skills to improve yields, diversify diets and build resilience to climate shocks. The project also supports farmers access financial services and diversify their incomes through development and training, via self-help groups.

1 No Poverty

2 Zero Hunger

8 Decent Work and Economic Growth

2.3.2 Contribution to Development 2018-19

Over 620 ‘Village Agriculture Development Facilitators’ have been trained on a number of climate smart agricultural techniques which have been demonstrated in 75 fields in southern Rwanda. These facilitators have gone on to train around 7,000 small holder farmers in the use of these techniques to improve yields and build resilience to climate change.

By the end of year 2, almost 15,000 of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the project area have joined self-help groups. They have received training and are meeting weekly to save together and lend each other money to improve their businesses, start new businesses or to meet household needs. On average, each group has saved the equivalent of £740 and lent £1,500 within the group.

Over 100 volunteer trainers have completed three courses: (1) financial literacy and business enterprise, (2) market access and value chains, and (3) cooperative set up and management and they have begun rolling out the training to the self-help groups.

IDF Case Study 6: Building Businesses

Cecile Niere, a mother of 4, joined a self-help group at the start of the project:

“Life was hard…we had one meal a day, getting clothing was not easy…we got sick and would stay in the house. My children got sick. I would feel very sad that my children did not have enough food. I never had any hope that it would come to an end…

Training taught us how to start a business, how to apply for a loan, what kind of project we can carry out. I learned that in doing business you can solve some of your basic needs…

I now have 80,000 RwF (c £80) savings. I never had money before. If you knew my community, you would know it is not easy for us to have that kind of money. If a person had told me two years ago I would have 80,000 RwF savings I would look at him as someone who is very strange…our future is bright”

2.4 Oxfam – Claiming Sexual and Reproductive Health rights in Rwanda

2.4.1 The Project

Rwanda is recognised internationally as a leader in gender equality, with high parliamentary representation, progressive legislation benefitting women and girls, and service provision for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) through a highly commended multi-sector and holistic model of centres for victims of sexual assault called ‘Isange One Stop Centres (IOSC)’. Nevertheless, SGBV remains among the most frequently reported crimes in Rwanda.

Research conducted by Oxfam and partners highlighted prominent challenges such as prevalent patriarchal structures and norms that perpetuate SGBV; low public awareness of available services e.g. IOSCs and capacity gaps in some services; and a lack of economic empowerment for SGBV victims to decrease their vulnerability to violence. The project in partnership with Rwanda Interfaith Council for Health (RICH), operates across six districts and provides technical advisory support, training for community members and health workers, programme quality tools and improved links with communities to strengthen the institutional capacity of Isange One Stop Centres. The project also supports women and girls’ economic empowerment by introducing savings and loans activities, but also by developing pathways for business start-up, vocational training or return to school depending on age or individual needs and ambition.

3 Good Health and Well-Being

5 Gender Equality

10 Reduced Inequalities

2.4.2. Contribution to Development 2018-19

The project is building a powerful influencing network of agents of change, champions, civil society organisations and communities, to challenge social and cultural norms that perpetuate SGBV. So far 700 people (338 women and 362 men) have been engaged, and this year have taken forward over 30 community meetings in their respective sectors to disseminate messaging around sexual and reproductive health rights and prevention and reporting of SGBV. A further 180 men and boys have been trained using the ‘MenEngage’ approach, specifically focusing on exploring positive masculinities and understanding how they can challenge and prevent SGBV through influencing their peers.

Two successful advocacy and awareness campaigns, using high profile Rwandan celebrities to mobilise large crowds were held in Kamonyi and Rubavu districts, attracting over 10,500 people. A coalition of 10 Civil Society Organisations has been formed, and following training these organisations will now also take forward advocacy initiatives in their districts. This year also saw 80 religious leaders gather to discuss and commit to challenging cultural norms in their faith communities. A dialogue session also engaged 106 couples exploring how to end conflict in their families.

Technical advisory provision has been delivered in all six districts, and training has been delivered to 40 health workers on specific SGBV interventions and approaches. The project has also been conducting an audit in partnership with Kacyiru Police Hospital to map capacity gaps in different districts. IOSC staff also led community dialogues and discussions reaching 3,500 people, building awareness of the centres’ services and links with communities.

Twelve victim support groups have been formed with 223 members. Group members received training on entrepreneurship skills, savings and loans and cooperative management. Most SGBV victims referred to the projects are under 18, and many are stigmatised and rejected from their families especially if they have become pregnant.

The issues around conflict within families led the project to facilitating conflict resolution and support workshops for parents and victims which have been highly successful in facilitating reintegration of victims to families and communities.

Oxfam, in collaboration with the National Gender Machinery co-facilitated a high level meeting officially launched by the Prime Minister of Rwanda to discuss key achievements and launch The State of Gender Equality in Rwanda, from transition to transformation and the Rwanda National Action Plan (2018-2020) for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent resolution.

IDF Case Study 7: Oxfam Rwanda: 16 Days of Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls (December 2018)

Photo 1: EVAWG march goes through Muhanga town centre (message on banner translates as: “Building the family we want: say NO to child defilement”)

In Rwanda, the Scottish Government is funding a 4.5 year gender justice project, aiming to reduce sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and enable access to sexual and reproductive health rights. One part of the project focuses on challenging deeply entrenched social and cultural norms that perpetuate SGBV.

Photo 2. Footballers supporting the campaign

In early December, Oxfam and partner organisation Rwanda Interfaith Council organised an awareness march in Muhanga district, focused particularly on issues of child abuse and SGBV involving girls and young women.

A key part of the project is engaging men as well as women in this work, so that men can act as change-makers and role models in their own peer groups, communities and workplaces. The march went past the local football stadium and engaged young men from football teams and clubs to help spread the message that violence against women and girls must end.