Children's Care and Protection Rwanda

Rwamagana, Eastern Province, Rwanda
In partnership with Unity of Children UK

Children's Care and Protection in Rwanda (CCPRWA) was formed following the genocide by a small group of Rwandans who grew up as orphans in Uganda. It runs a number of different programmes in Rwamagana district to support disadvantaged children in the region, including the provision of appropriate housing for child headed families, grants for educational materials and the provision of seeds for low income families to earn sufficient funds to send their children to school.

In 1998 CCPRWA opened Nsinda Vocational Training Centre, providing training for young people in the region unable to access mainstream government education. Many children in the region gain only a very basic education; a situation compounded by the loss of many qualified teachers during the genocide.

Government statistics for the region show that in 2002-3 only 30% passed primary level exams and therefore able to graduate into secondary education. With the considerable higher fees and costs for secondary education the real figure is significantly less.

Children unable to pay school fees fail to gain even a basic education and with little or no prospects are drawn into life on the streets, often resorting to crime to survive. The Centre is currently supporting 50 students studying courses in three vocational subjects Tailoring, Masonry and Vehicle Mechanics.

Nsinda Pre School currently teaches and cares for over 40 under 5’s. These children are all from the local community and from some of the poorest low-income families. It is likely that without this facility many would be performing arduous manual tasks, such as firewood and water collection.

CCPRWA and Unity of Children are wholly committed to protecting the human rights of children in Rwanda’s Eastern Province, eradicating any form of child labour and offering even the most disadvantaged child the chance of a good education.

Pre-Schools are currently very rare in Rwanda. CCPRWA believe that by continuing the success of this pioneering program, it is likely that many other donor organisations and eventually the Rwandan government will begin to take a serious interest and commit funding. This would be a giant step in reducing the countries child labour problem and vastly improving the educational opportunities available to all children, no matter what their age or background.

Unity of Children

Unity of Children was established in 2002 specifically to support the Rwandan organisation Care and Protection of Children in their efforts to help orphaned and disadvantaged children throughout the country.

UK registered charity: 1094273

To find out more about Unity of Children's amazing work please click here