Amani Village
Summary
Fourteen years after the atrocities that killed nearly one million people, the small country of Rwanda is now being hailed as a model of post-conflict reconstruction in Africa. It is evident that the small African country has made tremendous progress since the devastation of 1994 and the government is continuously praised for its commitment to bringing about peace and stability in a war-torn region. Progress, however, does not mean that we can move on. Right now is actually the most critical time in Rwanda’s healing process due to one fundamental fact: the young children orphaned by the trauma of the genocide are now teenagers. After losing their parents in the conflict or in the years since due to diseases such as HIV/AIDS or malaria, an entire generation of youth is struggling to survive.
One third of the estimated 1.26 million orphans in Rwanda are the heads of their households, meaning that younger orphaned children depend on them as the primary means of economic support. All too often, these teenagers must drop out of school in order to find a way to feed and clothe younger dependent children. Currently, only 11% of Rwandan children complete high school. A devastating unemployment rate throughout rural Rwanda means that many teenagers come into the city of Kigali to find temporary employment or to beg.
Addressing the unique problems and challenges facing this demographic is a vital necessity if we are to ensure that this type of tragedy is never repeated. The pervasive hopelessness facing unemployed and disadvantaged youth creates a dangerous environment in which they are susceptible to ethnic tensions and genocidal ideology.
Amani Africa has recognized that we must target the children who bear the consequences of the genocide and poverty, and then provide them with the tools and resources to take a stake in the future of their communities. With strong connections to the local population and community leaders, a strikingly successful track record in implementing education and reconciliation projects with very little funding, and a clear demand in the marketplace, Amani Africa is ready to provide even better services and opportunities to youth through the development of Amani Village.