HOPE FOR A GOOD LIFE

Project Summary Title: Hope for Every Child Initiative The Hope for Every Child Initiative aims to transform the lives of 100 vulnerable children under the age of 18 into empowered, self-reliant, and valuable members of society. This will be achieved through psychosocial rehabilitation and by meeting their essential needs—including food, education, access to medical services, and participation in sports. The project supports children to access formal education and vocational training in areas such as tailoring, welding, and IT. Additionally, they are equipped with skills and resources to start small businesses, enabling them to reintegrate successfully into their families and communities. Furthermore, the initiative will provide psychosocial and economic support to the parents or guardians of 120 children, empowering them to sustain their households. This holistic approach addresses poverty, the root cause that often pushes children into street life, aiming to break the cycle and create lasting change. The Challenge In Rwanda, many families continue to live in poverty, a condition largely linked to the long-term consequences of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The genocide left countless people traumatized and devastated the country's socio-economic fabric. As a result, many households are headed by orphans or children, and numerous children flee to the streets to escape domestic violence, abuse, and extreme poverty. Life on the streets exposes them to hunger, physical violence, substance abuse, and exploitation. The situation has further deteriorated due to the impact of COVID-19 preventive measures. Many families are now facing extreme hunger, and the number of street children continues to rise across the country. Our Solution Despite limited resources, Hope for a Good Life Organization is committed to building a peaceful and sustainable society by supporting the following categories of vulnerable children: Street children Children returning from prison or with incarcerated parents Children reintegrated into families and resuming school Orphans with no family support Teenagers and youth under 18 released from rehabilitation centers Children in urgent need of psychosocial services These children are carefully selected based on vulnerability criteria to ensure the most at-risk benefit first. Estimated Annual Costs per Child (in USD) Pre-School Education: School fees: $260 Food: $245 Transport: $351 Uniforms: $33 School materials: $20 Total per child: $909/year Vocational Training: Training cost: $2,054 Accommodation: $351 Food: $1,229 Transport: $65 Uniforms: $52 Materials: $358 Total per person: $4,109/year Secondary Education: School fees: $390 Meals: $91 Transport: $52 Uniforms: $39 School materials: $78 Total per student: $650/year Tertiary Education: Registration fees: $104 Tuition: $1,560 Meals and accommodation: $650 Transport: $130 School materials: $143 Internship and research: $754 Total per student: $3,341/year Other Support: Livelihood support per household: $390 Emergency psychosocial support: $195 Long-Term Impact By providing education, rehabilitation, and economic support, this initiative ensures that formerly vulnerable children grow into empowered, productive citizens. They will not only improve their own lives but also contribute to the social and economic development of their families, communities, and the country at large.

Current Project: “You Still Matter” This project recognizes that teen mothers are part of a broader family system. Often, when a girl gives birth prematurely, she is rejected by both her family and the father of the child. This project innovatively starts by addressing the mental health of the teenage mother, offering psychosocial support before introducing economic reintegration programs. This holistic approach strengthens her resilience and dignity. ________________________________________ Sustainability and Long-Term Impact “You Still Matter” is a community-based project owned and implemented by local stakeholders. The initiative is designed to promote long-term prevention by equipping parents, leaders, and institutions (especially religious groups in Bugesera) with the knowledge and tools to support and reintegrate teenage mothers now and in the future Hope for a Good Life (HGL) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Rwanda. It began operating in 2018 and is officially registered with the Rwanda Governance Board under certificate number 350/RGB/NGO/LP/11/2018. ________________________________________ Our Mission To support individuals in overcoming difficult living conditions and their consequences in order to build a brighter future. ________________________________________ Our Vision A world where every person lives with dignity and reaches their full potential in society. ________________________________________ Main Objectives 1. Community Development • Provide counseling and reintegrate youth into society by supporting them with education, vocational training, and small income-generating projects. • Support vulnerable women, especially adolescent and teen mothers, through small-scale projects that generate income. • Fight poverty through the creation of small community development groups. 2. Support for Children • Protect street and vulnerable children, alleviate their poverty, and support their rehabilitation by improving both their physical and mental well-being. 3. Peaceful Families • Promote peace and harmony within families through conflict resolution and counseling services. 4. Research and Surveys • Conduct research and assessments on the living conditions of vulnerable groups to inform targeted interventions. ________________________________________ Current Project: “You Still Matter” Overview: Teen mothers face numerous challenges including: • Health risks like complications during pregnancy (e.g., preterm births, low birth weight, high blood pressure). • Interrupted education due to pregnancy and parenting responsibilities. • Financial hardship caused by limited job prospects and incomplete education. • Social stigma from peers, families, and communities. • Emotional and mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. • Lack of support from families or communities. • Limited parenting knowledge due to age and inexperience. • Impact on the child, who may also face health, development, and social challenges. ________________________________________ Overall Objective of the Project To improve the living standards of teenage mothers in Bugesera by supporting their economic and social reintegration through transformative, solution-focused interventions. ________________________________________ Specific Objectives • Raise awareness among key community influencers (local government officials, religious and community leaders) about the importance of reintegrating teenage mothers. • Train community-based facilitators to implement the “You Still Matter” project. • Empower teen mothers economically through vocational training in tailoring, hairdressing, and pastry making (e.g., chapati, mandazi, and bread). • Support families of teen mothers with counseling to encourage family acceptance and reintegration. ________________________________________ Expected Results • Community leaders are informed and actively engaged in preventing and addressing the challenges faced by teen mothers. • Community facilitators are trained to lead and sustain the project. • Teenage mothers receive vocational training and psychosocial support. • Families of teen mothers are counseled and actively involved in reintegration efforts. ________________________________________ Planned Activities 1. Sensitize 120 influential leaders on the reintegration of teen mothers. 2. Train 16 community facilitators in holistic social and economic transformation. 3. Train 60 teen mothers in vocational skills: tailoring (20), hairdressing (20), and pastry making (20). 4. Provide counseling to 480 family members of teen mothers. ________________________________________ Measurable Indicators • Number of influential leaders advocating for teen mothers. • Number of teen mothers supported through the “You Still Matter” initiative. • Number of teen mothers trained and receiving psychosocial care. • Number of family members counseled and involved in reintegration efforts. ________________________________________ Data Sources • Monitoring and evaluation reports • Testimonials and stories of change • Feedback from local leaders and community members • Input from families of teen mothers ________________________________________ Risks and Assumptions • Potential conflicts between the family of the teen mother and that of the child’s father. • Many fathers are either imprisoned or have fled to avoid legal consequences. • In some cases, the father's identity is kept secret due to informal agreements after payment between families. ________________________________________ Innovative Aspects of the Project This project recognizes that teen mothers are part of a broader family system. Often, when a girl gives birth prematurely, she is rejected by both her family and the father of the child. This project innovatively starts by addressing the mental health of the teenage mother, offering psychosocial support before introducing economic reintegration programs. This holistic approach strengthens her resilience and dignity. ________________________________________ Sustainability and Long-Term Impact “You Still Matter” is a community-based project owned and implemented by local stakeholders. The initiative is designed to promote long-term prevention by equipping parents, leaders, and institutions (especially religious groups in Bugesera) with the knowledge and tools to support and reintegrate teenage mothers now and in the future.