Progress of the school program – help for orphans and poor families
The children in the school support program are soon finishing the school year with the final exams due in short in July, so we can see the fruit of the endeavors to invest in people. The budget planning for the next school year is running on full throttle.
We have added 10 more orphans to the list of 20 children to be supported for school fees. There are many more children of poor families in need which we cannot serve at this time but we are looking forward to see what is possible in the future. We are searching for longer term donators.
Progress of the agricultural projects
The farm projects are progressing well.
A cow farming project is still in the planning stage, as an investor is lacking to help this small startup to get a donation or a credit.
Progress of the “Second Chance” sewing machine project
The sewing machine project has successfully started on April 17, 2023 with 16 ladies on the program now.
The financing was secured for renting the building and payment of the teacher for some time period from resources provided by Stichting KOOK, Alkmaar in the Netherlands.
The first output was already produced such as small trousers for children, while the future ambitions are higher. There is work ongoing to find a market for the future project output.
Progress of the water filter projects
There are further plans to place water filters in the community of poor families and schools, but we are lacking financial resources. Pastor Viateur Ntarindwa (Executive Secretary) from the Interdiocesan Rural Development Service (RDIS) in Muhanga filed an application for funding of further water filters with the United Evangelical Mission (UEM). This is an international and equitable communion with 39 members, including 38 Protestant churches in Africa, Asia, and Germany, plus the v. Bodelschwinghschen Stiftungen Bethel.
The application was not yet decided upon. We hope for a decision after the project coordinator from UEM has visited Rwanda in the next months to come.
Future plans and ambitions for the engagement of Menschenfreude e.V. in Rwanda
Our wish is to engage more supporters in western Europe in our endeavors to invest in people and to engage in funding startups, either directly through us as a charity or by means of purchasing shares of Oikocredit, Amersfoort, Netherlands).
Oikocredit is a social impact investor and worldwide cooperative with focus on investments on financial inclusion, agriculture and renewable energy. Oikocredit is guided by the principle of empowering low-income people to improve their livelihoods. They support partner organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America by providing loans, equity investments and capacity building. Oikocredit was founded in 1975 as an ethical investment channel. The cooperative is privately financed by individuals and institutions who want to use their money for positive change. RDIS from Rwanda is one of the members of Oikocredit.
Due to the lack of a micro-financial partner organization in Rwanda which can manage and process credits from Oikocredit for local projects in Rwanda, it is currently not feasible to use investment resources from them. Together with RDIS and Pastor Viateur and our own direct contacts with Oikocredit we are in the process to work on potential solutions.
Conclusion on engagement
Overall, we ultimately wish to move from donations to more sustainable constructions such as loans, and business startup investments with payback plan following submission and approval of a sound business case.
Further information about our projects in Rwanda
- On our Rwanda project page you will find a complete overview of the cooperation.
- Blog post on the first visit in January 2023: “A smile from many people” – A Menschenfreude team for the first time in Rwanda
- More information about Menschenfreude: www.menschenfreude.org, on Instagram or Facebook.
- Wir bitten Euch auch für Ruanda herzlich um Spenden, die unsere gemeinnützige Arbeit erst möglich machen. We will be happy to issue an official donation receipt for donations of €300 or more or upon request.
Empfänger: Menschenfreude e.V. | IBAN: DE41 6609 0800 0006 6116 99
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