The AMAHORO Association
Kasabo District, Kucyiru Sector, Kigali, Rwanda
AMAHORO (PEACE) Association is a model for young leaders supporting vulnerable children. This Rwandan organization is dedicated to helping children orphaned by AIDS. AMAHORO Association was started on April 30th, 2000 by 14 young men and women who themselves had been orphaned by AIDS. The initial objectives were:
- To advocate for the children who were stigmatized and discriminated by society;
- To bring together all the children who had similar problems;
- To fight against drugs, HIV/AIDS, and prostitution.
These objectives continue, and, due to financial and non-financial support received, new objectives have been added:
- To provide for the education of members of AMAHORO;
- To provide health care;
- To make home visits;
- To encourage skill building and economic independence;
- To hold weekly gatherings to promote solidarity;
- To have dancing (Kayitare Wayitare Dembe and African Band);
- To provide food for the most vulnerable families.
Now the AMAHORO Association counts more than 2500 orphaned children. Among these families are many headed by young people from 16 to 20, some living with one parent who is HIV+, or living with another adult relative.
CHABHA support enables the leaders to do the following:
• Send children to primary school who have no other way to pay the $15 for materials, uniform, and school contribution.
• Pay school fees and materials fees for secondary students.
• Purchase health insurance cards for all who need them.
• Make home visits in emergencies and for assessment of needs.
• Purchase emergency food for families in dire circumstances.
• Hold Life Skills weekends to teach about HIV prevention, to make is possible for free HIV testing and counseling, to teach community building, and to learn about children’s rights.
• Keep records and administer programs.
The AMAHORO Association and CHABHA-Rwanda have a dream. Because there is no reliable space for the weekly gatherings and because their only office space is very small, the dream is for “A Place of Our Own.” CHABHA seeks financial support to purchase land, if necessary, and to build a building to be office space, a classroom for young members of AMAHORO who are not yet in school and who have great needs, a multipurpose room for Life Skills workshops, and a kitchen for micro-enterprise work.
Other groups who have formed associations of children affected have sought the experience and knowledge of the AMAHORO leaders. They are a fine example of young people helping children.