A gift through your Donor-Advised fund (DAF) will make a lifesaving difference for women survivors and their children in Rwanda. You can recommend a donor-advised fund grant of of cash, publicly-traded stock and in some cases, certain illiquid assets to Foundation Rwanda through your DAF giving account online or by contacting your fund manager.
WHERE YOUR SUPPORT WILL MAKE THE MOST DIFFERENCE:
HARDSHIP FUND
Hardship funds will be used for the neediest families for medical, domestic, financial or mental hardship. Eligible families are nominated by the FR community, team and social workers.
COMMUNITY COUNSELING YOUTH CAMPS
FR’s Community Counseling Youth Camps have provided counseling to over 150 beneficiaries. Camps take place twice per year during August and December school holidays. In addition to counseling, they provide a safe space for beneficiaries to know they are not alone as well as career guidance and reproductive health education. At a recent camp, the youth collectively advocated for more community counseling camps with their peers and community counseling camps together with their mothers. An additional 350 students could greatly benefit from the counseling program, which would cost $40,000.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Foundation Rwanda students have attended vocational training for catering, plumbing, cosmetology, construction, textiles, and mechanics, thanks to the support of Inspire!africa. An additional 120 students could benefit from vocational training, which would cost $70,000.
COMMUNITY COUNSELING FOR MOTHERS
This program aims to improve mother-child relationships by addressing the challenges and symptoms of trauma that arise from parenting a child born from rape. The groups also address general young-adult behavior and provide tools for disclosure should a mother choose to do so. Once the counseling group sessions have been completed, counselors visit the women to help foster peer support groups and train local representatives to lead groups and report symptoms of trauma. To date, 560 women have completed the program. $55,000 would allow an additional 270 women could benefit from the program.
HIGHER EDUCATION
FR’s secondary-school program is fully funded and has sponsored over 830 students to date . A small number of FR students have excelled against all odds, passing the national exam that has allowed them to pursue their dreams of higher education. These students receive support for food, accommodations, and transportation to enable them to attend college. Depending on their needs and tuition, this costs an average of $56 per month per student. A donation of $15,000 would provide food, accommodations, and transportation for an additional 20 students at $500 per student per year.
BUSINESS INNOVATION
Two key priorities for FR youth are to be able to care for their aging mothers and to become self-sufficient as they start their own families. This program was created by second-generation survivors for second-generation survivors whose livelihoods are disproportionately affected by the general lack of opportunities/income in Rwanda. Sixteen individuals have been awarded small business grants to date ranging from $900 to $5,000. FR is currently seeking support to sponsor additional applicants as we grow this important initiative.
FAQ
How does It work?
Foundation Rwanda works with Survivors Fund (SURF) and other local Rwandan NGOs (non-governmental organizations) including AVEGA Agahozo, Solace Ministries, and Kanyarwanda to implement our programs and maximize efficiency.
SURF is based in Rwanda and the UK and has a long-term commitment to supporting survivors of the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda and their dependents. Foundation Rwanda continues to operate as an independent 501(c)3 US nonprofit organization with its own board. Our holistic support programs are strategically implemented, managed, and evaluated by our local partner Survivors Fund (SURF) in partnership with the FR Board. Foundation Rwanda welcomes ongoing support for SURF and our local Rwandan partners to continue implementing and running programs in support of the Foundation Rwanda families.
“Over a fifteen years after SURF and FR joined forces, our partnership is united and stronger than ever. Our collective dream of Foundation Rwanda being run by an all-Rwandan team has finally been realized. I am proud to have helped make this a reality!”
– Samuel Munderere, In-Country Director, SURF/Foundation Rwanda
Where will my money go?
Your donation will go directly towards sponsoring the education and vocational training of second-generation survivors born of rape during the genocide and towards trauma counseling and holistic support, including income-generating programs and hardship funds for their mothers.
What does it take to send a Foundation Rwanda student to college?
Foundation Rwanda university students are in need of support for food, accommodations, and transportation to enable them to attend college. Depending on their needs and the costs of their schools, this costs an average of $56 per month per student.
How do I become a Foundation Rwanda annual donor?
If you'd like to become an recurring donor, please check the recurring donor box on the donation page.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Donations to Foundation Rwanda are tax deductible under the US not-for-profit 501(c)3 charity status, Tax ID #11-3837036.
If you would like to make a donation in the UK, you can support our work by donating to our partner organization, Survivors Fund (SURF).
Is my donation secure?
Yes. Foundation Rwanda uses PayPal™ to securely process credit card donations online without sharing any of your financial information.
Do you partake in corporate gift matching?
Yes! You can make your gift go farther through your company's charitable gift matching program. Thousands of companies, small and large, offer programs that double or even triple individual tax-deductible contributions made by their employees. Your employer may be one of them. The process is simple: Ask if your company has a matching gift program. If so, obtain a matching gift form from your human resources office or matching gift coordinator, fill it out completely, and send it along with your contribution to:
Foundation Rwanda
C/O Sara Solfanelli
71 Nassau Street, Suite 11C
New York, NY 10038