Ishema Mu Muryango (‘Pride for the Family’ in Kinyarwanda) was a two-year program funded by USAID’s Displaced Children and Orphans Funds (DCOF). The program goal was to safely and sustainably reintegrate children living in institutions in two districts of Rwanda back into their families or communities, and prevent further institutionalization through family-based alternative care options that are suitable and sustainable.
The program was implemented by Global Communities working in close partnership with Hope and Homes for Children. Global Communities has community-based development experience working in Rwanda. Hope and Homes for Children helped the Rwandan government develop a national family-based care system. The complementary expertise and approaches of the organizations are the driving force behind the Ishema Mu Muryango (IMM) program’s successful outcomes.
This report highlights stories of children, youth and families who have been assisted by the IMM program. While each of their stories is unique, all highlight the common themes of institutionalization and child abandonment in Rwanda.
