PUTOKAZ through Icyerekezo Rwanda is Transforming the Lives of the Poor in Muhanga and Kamonyi District

Among the support the organization provides to residents is the distribution of small livestock and large animals, including cows, to help families engage in livestock farming and improve their livelihoods.

The organization also provides households with hygiene supplies, teaches them how to prepare balanced diets, distributes essential food items, and pays their community-based health insurance contributions. The Director of PUTOKAZ, Elisabeth Suzana Kozina, says the organization’s main priority is to support vulnerable families and strengthen their capacity to improve their living conditions. This is why the families are first supported with essential food supplies and livestock for rearing.

She explains that when the organization arrived in Rwanda ten years ago, it found children living in poor families without adequate care.

Some had dropped out of school, others were not receiving medical treatment, and even those attending school were living in difficult conditions.This prompted the organization to begin supporting them.

She says, “Just imagine how difficult things were for all those nine years. Today, however, there are positive changes. Our partners have continued to care for our children, not only by providing school materials but also hygiene supplies. We send photographs of the children to the partners who have agreed to support them so that they can see their progress. For those who have grown older, we even provide them with telephones so they can communicate with the people who have committed to supporting them". Says Suzan.

She added, “This helps the children feel happier because they know there are people who care about them and that they are not alone. You understand better than I do the living conditions of a child in a rural area who is raised by a grandmother who does not have the means to provide everything the child needs.”

Parents appreciate the Support They Receive

Families that have received livestock, including cows and rabbits, in Cyeza Sector, Muhanga District, say they are committed to taking good care of the animals so that they can help them escape poverty.

The livestock was provided by PUTOKAZ Africa, an organization committed to improving the welfare of highly vulnerable children and their families.

As part of its annual support programme, the organization also distributed hygiene supplies, food and bedding materials to the beneficiaries.

One of the parents who received rabbits and a cow for rearing says she has two children attending secondary school, whose education expenses she has been able to cover with support from PUTOKAZ.

She says that receiving a cow and rabbits will enable her to improve her economic situation further, allowing her children to continue their education with fewer financial challenges.

She explains: “When I find that money is not enough to buy school materials, I sell the baby of the goats they gave me and use the money to pay for my children’s education. These people are truly kind-hearted. May God bless them because they help us even though we did not know them before. They came to us and offered their support.”

The woman’s husband says receiving a cow will help his family overcome poverty permanently because the animal can generate substantial economic benefits.

“The cow will give birth to a calf, and the children will have milk to drink. I will also get manure to fertilize my land, improve soil fertility and increase agricultural production. In this way, I will be able to lift my family out of poverty. Even when the support programme ends, we will be able to sustain ourselves without difficulties.” reiterated

The head teacher of GS Kivumu says that when children receive support through their families, they come to school in better conditions, contributing to improved educational quality. He adds that children living near the school are no longer dropping out.

He also explains that the livestock provided to schools helps improve meals for learners because the schools can obtain enough eggs. In addition, the children learn livestock farming at an early age.

“The chickens they gave us lay eggs that we feed to the children. This will improve their well-being. The children also learn how to rear livestock from an early age and develop an appreciation for animals, including those they see being raised at their schools.” Arguing the headmaster. PUTOKAZ supports 11 day schools, 17 boarding schools and seven colleges in Rwanda, reaching more than 8,000 children.

The organization also helps children find sponsors who finance their education over extended periods and continues to monitor their progress until they reach adulthood.