AJESOV Association (Association of Volunteer Youth Helping Orphans Affected)
Bugesera/Nyamata District, Nyamata Sector, Eastern Province, Rwanda.
AJESOV is an association of children in the rural Nyamata/Bugesera District. A new road has been opened between Kigali and the village of Nyamata so that now instead of two hours on a rutted road, it takes only 20 to 30 minutes to get there from the capital.
Yet the region continues to suffer from drought and poor sanitation. It has the highest rate of HIV infection in Rwanda. The 215 children of the project live in very poor families. Most are orphans; some live with infected parents. Some live with other relatives, many of whom are infected. Some live in child-headed families.
AJESOV was founded just two years ago by nurses, teachers, and administrators, all young. The six members of the Executive Committee were orphaned by genocide and understand the needs of the children. They find orphaned children who are not getting other support. They advocate for these children and seek funding to help them.
A gathering of AJESOV children
CHABHA has been funding AJESOV since late in 2005. We provide support for primary and secondary education, for health insurance cards, for home visits, for emergency food, especially for children receiving antiretrovirals, and for emotional support.
The leaders of AJESOV have created some special projects that have served the children and their families:
· With $1000, 20 families were each given $50 to start micro-enterprises. Within a year, 80% of the money had been returned for other families, and the families were continuing to raise funds.
· The group purchased a used motor bike to help reach the far-flung families. When not being used for these home visits, a driver uses it as a taxi and returns some of his income to AJESOV.
· At $20 each, all the families have received goats. Many young goats have been born, and this projects has become self-sustaining.
· Many of the children have been tested for HIV, and full testing of all is planned along with counseling and management of antiretrovirals.
· The children have mosquito nets.
· At their first Life Skills workshop, the leaders taught the children about hygiene, HIV prevention, and agricultural practices.
As of 2006, the funding for this project has been assumed by a group of people who worship at the Benedictine Priory of Weston, Vermont. This group of about 20 people has raised funds with individual gifts and by collecting coins. They gather periodically to roll the coins and to have fun.