Survivors Fund (SURF) in partnership with AERG (Association of Student Genocide Survivors) has just completed the first year of our ELE Project, though funding from the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

The ELE Project is focused on “Empowering Vulnerable Young people who have left Secondary School in Rwanda to Create, Secure and Sustain Employment”.

ELE is transforming the lives of 946 vulnerable young survivors and their 3,200 dependants through its innovative wraparound approach. By bringing youth together, participants are building trust, hope, confidence and skills to create businesses.

57% of the target group are already running businesses, and 94% have raised incomes. ELE created a database of 3,000+ vulnerable youth in two provinces of Rwanda, and established a new network and social support system for young survivors who were previously marginalised and isolated, in particular young unmarried mothers.

A short film on the project is now online here:

And some photos from the project here:

A trainee in Ruhnago, in the Southern Province, practices calculating profit and loss.