The Miracle of Child Sponsorship

The lush beauty of the Gitarama Province of Rwanda defies the poverty that leaves many children malnourished and unable to attend school.

Mugwaneza was one of those children. Her father is dead, and her mother struggles to feed her and her sister by cultivating the small plot of land they own. But life for Mugwaneza steadily improved when she became a Food for the Hungry sponsored child.

“God has done miracles in our life,” says her mother Cecile. We used to live in a very old house made of grass and mud. My husband was sick…dying. Everyday I prayed to God to help me get a new house before that one collapses in on us. I wanted to carry my husband out of that house before he died.”

Food for the Hungry built Cecile’s family a new home that, by American standards, may not seem like much. It has three rooms, cement walls and no running water or electricity. The only furniture is a bed and two small benches. But it’s good, strong shelter.

The pig that Food for the Hungry supplied also gives the family a way to make a living and buy life’s necessities. Mugwaneza now attends school, and the family has medical insurance…and hope.

What We Do

Agriculture & Environment: Radical terracing, natural resource management, trainings with community leaders in best practices.

Child Development & Education: Education support programs, health care, health insurance, nutritional monitoring, parent support groups, parent business associations and trainings, bible and social clubs.

Economic Development & Livelihoods: Small business trainings, cooperative development, financial management trainings, animal distributions and husbandry trainings, veterinary trainings, product diversification and marketing, meat industry development.

Health & Nutrition: Nutritional supplements and monitoring, nutritional support, care, and training for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Water & Sanitation: Water treatment and distribution system, hygiene and community sensitization trainings.

Food for the Hungry entered Rwanda in 1995 in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by a horrifying genocide that sent millions of people fleeing to neighboring nations. As people began to return, we offered relief and social services, especially to the many orphans or children who had been separated from their families. In 1999, Food for the Hungry transitioned to sustainable community development.

Rwanda’s true beauty lies in its people. Their courage and strength is evident as Rwandans strive to overcome the challenges of everyday life. Conflict and the impact of HIV/AIDS have left an estimated 810,000 Rwandan children orphaned. There are more child-headed households in Rwanda than in any other African country. As farmland continues to be divided among family members, and many Rwandans find themselves without enough land to support their families. Nearly half of Rwandan children suffer from chronic malnutrition – 19 percent struggle with acute malnutrition. At least two-thirds of the population lives below the national poverty line. Child-headed households, widows, and those living with HIV/AIDS remain the most vulnerable, many living in extreme conditions.