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Monthly Archives: October 2024

October 28, 2024

Along with Strive Foundation Rwanda and FASACO, on 23rd October 2024, Caritas Rwanda under the Igire Gimbuka program conducted an awareness campaign prioritizing mental health in the workplace at Bushenge Hospital and met with Nyamasheke leadership, Director General of hospitals, Heads of health facilities, private sector and security organs representatives.

The Word Mental Health Day is celebrated on the 10th of October every year. In October 2024 the focus was on mental health with the theme: “It is time to prioritize mental health in the workplace”.

During the awareness campaign at the Bushenge Hospital staff showed interest in the awareness campaign, engaging in presentations and asking numerous questions about managing stress in their daily tasks, taking into account the nature of their work.

John Ndikumana Steven, the Mental Health Psychology

The Strive Foundation Rwanda, FASACO and Igire Gimbuka team also met with various participants including Nyamasheke local leaders, Director General of hospitals, Heads of health facilities, private sector and security organs representatives at the Saint Bernadette Pastoral Center in Nyamasheke. The purpose of the meeting was to emphasize the importance of prioritizing mental health in the workplace through engaging presentations, personal testimonies, and interactive question-and-answer sessions. The questions focused on the alarming signs of mental illness, how to prevent stress in workplaces, and ways to support individuals facing challenging situations.

Mental health professionals in hospital and health facilities, answering the questions.

In her closing speech, Mukankusi Athanasie, the vice-mayor of Nyamasheke district in charge of social affairs, urged participants to maintain a positive outlook and cultivate supportive friendships. She emphasized the importance of managing stress and finding mental relaxation through a strong support system. Mrs. Mukankusi also commended Caritas Rwanda for hosting this valuable meeting, which she views as a form of training. She urged all participants to share the knowledge gained when interacting with others. By doing so, they can contribute to the promotion of mental health awareness and support within their communities.

Vice-Mayor ASOC, Athanasie Mukankusi, emphasized the importance of managing stress and finding mental relaxation through a strong support system.

“We must make a habit of communicating with those we lead before passing judgment on them. It is important to understand why they may be struggling before jumping to conclusions. By doing so, employees will feel more comfortable coming to you with challenges or problems. However, if you resort to bullying, they will run away from you and their mental health will deteriorate”, said the vice-mayor.

In a testimony given by a teenager mum, a victim of rape, she revealed that she experienced depression throughout her pregnancy. However, Igire-Gimbuka stepped in to offer her mental health support, helping her regain her confidence.  In addition, the program helped her access medical treatment when she had an accident, supported her in accomplishing professional sewing training, and provided her with a sewing machine. “I decided that no man should tempt me with money because, today, I work hard to earn it”, she said.

This awareness campaign on prioritizing mental health in the workplace reached almost 180 people from the Nyamasheke district.

October 4, 2024

From 08 to 10 October 2024, the Igire Gimbuka team met in a quarterly meeting at Cenetra Hotel / Kabuga, to reflect on ways to improve their work. In his opening remarks, Father Oscar Kagimbura, the Secretary General of Caritas Rwanda urged them to serve the program participants keeping in mind the Caritas Rwanda’s vision of promoting human dignity for All.

During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to self-assess their work in groups (SWOT analysis), examining their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges in their daily activities. The self-assessment will help the Igire-Gimbuka staff to improve their work, basing on the recommendations formulated in their groups during the meeting.

Among the various recommendations formulated after the SWOT analysis, we can list making effort for effective communication, the continuous staff capacity improvement, reinforcement of priests’ engagement in program activities, and improving the working strategy with ARV Nurses in order to achieve program objectives.

The team also had the opportunity to develop an implementation plan for the activities for the first quarter of the 3rd year of Igire-Gimbuka implementation (October – December 2024).

The Igire-Gimbuka team during a self-assessment exercise.

In his closing remarks, the Secretary General of Caritas Rwanda called on the Igire-Gimbuka program staff to assume ownership of their work, to communicate effectively and ensure a good collaboration. “If we do this, we will easily reach our objectives”, said Father Oscar.

Father Oscar Kagimbura, the SG of Caritas Rwanda, urged the Igire-Gimbuka team to assume ownership of their work, to communicate effectively and ensure a good collaboration.

Igire-Gimbuka is a 5-year program launched in October 2022, with funds from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief “PEPFAR”, through the United States Agency for International Development “USAID”,

In 5 years, the Igire-Gimbuka targets to reach 80,000 OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children), from Karongi, Nyamasheke, Rubavu and Rutsiro districts, by keeping the OVC and vulnerable households healthy, safe, stable, and schooled. In this context, the Igire-Gimbuka has reached 51,427 program participant (more than 60%) in two years.

October 4, 2024

On 24th September 2024, a delegation from Caritas Rwanda and Caritas Kibungo heads of departments convened at the Caritas Kibungo headquarters in Ngoma District with the goal of evaluating the implementation of the Caritas Rwanda General Assembly 2023 recommendations (for the Social Welfare department). In addition, the team exchanged ideas on fundraising strategies for the Charity Month, and visited the Home of Joy (located in Ngoma district) and the Urugo rw’Amahoro Kabarondo Center (Kayonza district).

The team’s conversations centered on promoting the visibility Caritas Rwanda’ visibility through Catholic Church media and on social media. A brief training on story development was also provided to the participants, as it will enable all departments to develop stories for publication in Kinyamateka and the Caritas Contact magazine.

This meeting was also an opportunity to recall the activities carried out to celebrate the World Day of the Poor including the celebration of a Holy Mass, meals sharing with the poor; and providing gifts and/or food to the poor. During the celebration of the Caritas Day, it is important to raise awareness on Caritas, its values, while people who have previously benefited from Caritas’ educational support are encouraged to assist those in need.

According to the Caritas Kibungo staff, all parishes celebrate the World Day of the Poor and Caritas Day, with the exception of the Rukoma Parish, where these days are observed at the central level. People from all religious denominations contribute for the World Day of the Poor celebration since Caritas supports vulnerable people without discrimination. The meeting recalled that material possessions are not as important to the vulnerable people as love. It is crucial to love them first.

Awareness raising for the Charity Month

In order to increase the contribution to the Month of Charity and Mercy, in May and June 2024, Caritas volunteers have been animating in all parishes. In addition, Caritas Kibungo plans to raise awareness of the Month of Charity and Mercy in schools soon.

Caritas volunteers have been mobilizing to contribute to the Charity Month in all parishes in May and June 2024. Furthermore, Caritas Kibungo intends to raise awareness about the Charity Month in schools.

 

Another strategy is to organize a group of individuals who have received educational support from Caritas so they can help those in need as well. They can still contribute to the Charity Month for years to come, even though it is a little late to donate this year. Every year in May and June, parishes kick off Charity Month fundraising, as stated by the Caritas Kibungo team. Perishable items are immediately distributed while those that can be stocked are distributed during the celebration of the World Day of the Poor in November.

In addition, participants shared suggestions for additional fundraising strategies during Charity Month, such as using loudspeakers to broadcast messages and raise awareness in crowded locations like the market and bus park. Also, to increase contributions for the Charity Month, there is a way to mobilize members of savings and internal lending community groups that are supported by Caritas Kibungo through projects. Staff from the Caritas Kibungo projects and the Social Welfare Department will collaborate to organize field visits to the savings groups.

With regard to (i) [1]Harmonize, coordinate and strengthen the volunteer system within the Caritas network with emphasis on youth mobilization; as well as (ii) [2]strengthening the support for integral human development with emphasis on young people, the Caritas Kibungo team said that the awareness is regularly conducted to make Caritas known among the youth, promoting its values, and calling them to be involved in volunteering activities. The mobilization is organized in schools, universities and seminaries, so that children and youth grow up with a heart filled with love and help vulnerable people.

At the end of the meeting, the Caritas Kibungo team thanked Caritas Rwanda for organizing such a collaborative meeting, and promised that they will implement the ideas from exchanges in order to refine what they do.

After the meeting, the joint team visited the Home of Joy run by the Missionary of Charity Sisters (in Ngoma district) and the Urugo rw’Amahoro Kabarondo Centre run by the volunteers (in Kayonza district). Both centres care for vulnerable people.

[1] 7th recommendation from the Caritas Rwanda General Assembly 2023, regarding the diocesan Caritas.

[2] 8th recommendation from the Caritas Rwanda General Assembly 2023, regarding the diocesan Caritas.

Group photo with people cared in Home of Joy managed by the Missionaries Of Charity Sisters in Ngoma.
Group photo with people cared in Urugo rw’Amahoro Kabarondo Centre run by the volunteers (in Kayonza district).