"...and you're doing what over there?"

The last few months people have been asking us about what we'll actually be doing once we hit the ground in Kigali. Well, besides the requisite avoidance of malaria and shopping of local produce, coffee and tea - we're going to be working with local women. In celebration of our most recent post, we're copying verbatim the program guide we were just sent this morning. It gives specific info on what we'll be doing, what's expected of us and what we can expect.

After reading the information - it was really exciting to see that we'd be doing some personal counseling with victims. Of everyone I know, the Assistants are the best at listening. We spent our formative years in DC listening to bosses, listening to coworkers, listening to clients and listening to strangers on the phone. If we excel at anything, it's listening.

The second thing I was most excited about was working with some of the out of school teens in Rwanda for informal English lessons to help them be more active in the workforce. Although most children in Rwanda complete primary school (up to 6th grade by US standards) - barely any complete secondary school. I see education as such an integral piece of a progressive nation - especially for advancing the lives of women. The World Bank's "2001 Household Living Conditions Survey" reported the average number of pregnancies was 5.6 for women with no education, 4.4 with primary education, and 2.7 with tertiary education. Although our program track focuses on the victims of gender based violence - we will have a role in providing some basic education tools from business management to English. If our work can provide a path to a stable source of income and limit a woman's vulnerability to become financially trapped in an abusive relationship - I consider our time there a success, even if we only get to one woman.


About: The program is aimed at assisting victims of Gender based violence (GBV)as well as carrying out activities that aim at reducing this vice. Activities will include education on GBV, trainings on small scale business management as well working with out of school teenagers.

Location: Gasabo, Kicukiro, Nyanza and Rubavu districts districts

Expectations of the project: your project will have its own expectations in regards to your volunteer responsibilities and duties, but you are also are expected to bring your own knowledge and skills with you and possess a positive outlook and a proactive style towards your work in order for your volunteer time to be successful.

Type of work available: You will be involved in psychosocial support (counseling) to GBV victims and also visiting and follow-up of victims for care. Other activities will involve teaching English in informal set ups to out of school teenagers and Women while interacting with them.

Additionally, volunteers will work with IGA groups in training associations on small scale business management, small scale agricultural activities that can generate income as well as daily monitoring of the activities of these associations.

Project ideas: You are encouraged to bring in creative and practical ways of fighting GBV as well as coming up with sustainable ways of problem solving.