AVEGA in Rwanda
July 21st, 2009 | by nick |Odette Kayirere is an amazing woman. She runs the AVEGA charity in the Eastern province of Rwanda; an organisation that having started off providing counselling and sanctuary for widows and orphans of the genocide (under her wing, she has 4000 and 17000 respectively), it has grown to address a variety of issues – they have an HIV/Aids clinic, and act as the hub for over 200 local projects that help the communities around Rwamagana. Odette has adopted orphans through the centre’s work; 8 of them, to live alongside her own 6 children. Yet she still finds time to run the centre, and how.
Despite a variety of international and domestic funders, Odette is well aware of the value of self-sufficiency and independence, and has developed the centre to generate revenue from training and accommodation, and even weddings! Her dream is to build a cultural centre that will attract tourists who can see the progress made in this country, as well as spending money on refreshments and maybe buying some of the local craft and produce. We are going to see what can be done to help this.
One Response to “AVEGA in Rwanda”
By Joy Childs on Sep 20, 2009 | Reply
I came across your blog when I was looking for information on Avega. I have visited the clinic in Rwamagana on a couple of occasions and have met Odette, as well as visited some of the widows the centre is providing help to.
Odette is a remarkable woman and the work of the centre is so vital.
I support the work of SURF (partners with Avega) and have also visited many of their projects. I am delighted to hear that some of our MP’s are aware, and in some cases, getting involved with ongoing work in Rwanda, a country I have grown to love.
We have just welcomed a young women survivor to our home for a month, at the age of 5 she experienced some of the worst things you could think of yet 15 years on she is an amazing young women.
Best wishes
Joy Childs