Testimony: Hope of Family organisation secures future for disadvantaged children in Muhanga

November 16th, 2020

For Yves Twahirwa, enrolling in the school has never been easy due to his family social stratification status that couldn’t let him afford school kits among other basic requirements.

Twahirwa, 12, currently studies in P6 at Mbare Primary School that locates in the outskirt of Nyakabingo from Shyogwe Sector, Muhanga District in Southern Province.

The youngster says he believes his “future is now guaranteed,” after Hope of Family organisation reached out to him over the last two years – the organisation has been a godfather to Twahirwa as it provides him with school kits and other materials to assist his education.

His parents benefited from the organization as well; they were trained on their role in children’ education that made them fully acquainted and thus started paying visit to their child at school and assist his learning process in their capacities.

“I used to mix lesson’s notes within a few notebooks I had but Hope of family donated to me suffice school kits and consequently each lesson now has its own notebook which eased my schooling,” said Twahirwa with a smiling face.

“I was given a pretty good school uniform, bags, shoes etc. It made me concentrate on my studies, before I got the equipment I scored the 20th position in class I have improved to the 8th,” he added

Twahirwa went on to say that he enrolled voluntarily stressing that he believes he can perform well and achieve his goal of becoming an artist.

His 9-year-old brother Prince Girihirwe studies in P2 also at Mbare School, he echoed Twahirwa’s sentiments about affording school kits but luckily enough he can now study very well thanks to unreserved supports he acquires from Hope of family organisation.

Yvette Mukeshimana, 14, and sister to Girihirwe is also assisted by Hope of Family to cope with studies – she had dropped out the school for two years but she managed to resume studies with the organisation’s support.

Before COVID 19 erupted, Mukeshimana was in S1 at Groupe Scolaire Rubugurizo, a school that locates in the Shyogwe sector of Muhanga district in the southern province of Rwanda. “I could see my age mate going to school while I was at home, which would always hurt me a lot,” he recalls

Adding, “Hope of Family Organization reached out to me and promised to help resume my studies; they also helped us refurbish our house that was in dilapidated state, now we are in a better shelter,”

Mukeshimana disclosed that she went to study voluntarily and believes she can perform well and achieve her goal of becoming a doctor. “I want to be a doctor when I graduate so that I can take care of patients following in the footsteps of Hope of Family Organization that helps the most vulnerable residents,” she says.

Her father, Jean Marie Vianney Uwitije, who solely takes care of his three children, expressed gratitude to Hope of Family Organisation for securing the future of his children through assisting their respective schooling.

“Hope of Family Organisation has been so encouraging to us, and now my children are learning comfortably which makes them excel in class as opposed to previously as where they would always fail,” he noted

“We are taught to follow up on our children's learning, to visit them at school and to discuss with the teacher on children’s progress among others. Even when children return home I help them revise their lessons and control their behavior, as it is the parent's responsibility,” added Uwitije

Niyirema Marie, a teacher at Mbare primary school, confirms that a significant difference can be seen in academic performance of children that are supported by the organization. “Children are very successful, parents visit them at school, and we talk with parents on how children should perform well," she said

Hope of Family Organization, in its social protection program, provided assistance to needy families living in Kinini cell. The aid consists of renovating houses, supporting children in school and many others.

Hope of Family is a local NGO whose main objective is to promote the involvement of parents in the education of their children while improving the socio-economic status of families. Families and the organization Hope staff agree on the terms of the contract to be signed in order to effectively support their children and improve their academic performance.

Family of Vianney in photos