Hope and Homes for Children (HHC) together with the National Commission for Children (NCC) hold a meeting with local government authorities in Nyarugenge district yesterday. Also present were some of the institution managers in the district. Mr Jean Marie Vianney Nsabimana deputy Mayor in charge of Social Affairs in Nyarugenge district urged participants to work tirelessly to prevent child abandonment and family breakdown to ensure the wellbeing of all children in Nyarugenge district.
Explaining the process, Ms Aline Kayiganwa a child protection officer in Hope and Homes for Children, said the implementation of the Rwandan National Strategy for Childcare Reform, as set out in the Tubarerere Mu Muryango (De-Institutionalization) includes the establishment of Childcare Networks to support the closure of institutions and strengthen the child protection system.
These Childcare Networks are composed of people who directly or indirectly assist vulnerable children and families. “Local leaders, civil society and faith based organisations are instrumental in supporting prevention of child separation from their families, given their role in the community” she observed. She also added that it engages key stakeholders that have been directly involved in placing children into institutions to support the prevention of new entries into institutions
Mr Emmanuel Rutubuka, the executive Secretary of Kigali Sector thanked HHC and NCC for having facilitated the closure of all orphanages in Nyarugenge. He said: “If there is an orphanage in one area, parents around it will surely drop their children nearby”. Participants agreed on the need that all children should be raised in the loving families not in orphanages.
Since it started, the De-institutionalisation programme commonly referred to as “ Tubarere mu muryango” has closed all orphanages in Nyarugenge district. There were 3 orphanages in the district namely: Gisimba Memorial Centre, Home of Hope (known as Calcutta) and Fasha umwana that was located in Kimisagara.
The Express News
