Through funding from the Good Gifts Catalogue, an initiative of the Charities Advisory Trust, we have extended our support to thousands of widows and orphans that are beneficiaries of our ongoing livelihoods program, enabling them to become more independent and self-sufficient.
Survivors Fund (SURF) aims to alleviate the impact of poverty on vulnerable survivors by strengthening their families to secure viable livelihoods. The funding from Good Gifts helps to set up income generating projects which empower communities to fight poverty and take more active role in determining their lives.
Many survivors have been supported through receiving livestock, agricultural materials, solar lights and cookers, meals for schoolchildren and much more. Good Gifts have just launched their new catalogue, in which there are many great gifts which have served to support survivors of the genocide, including donkeys, beans, bikes and even yarn. You can see more on their website here.
Habimana is one of the youth who received bicycles to set up a taxi business. He has a wife and 2 children. They live in Gatsata one of the suburbs of Kigali City.
Before getting the bicycle, Habimana did odd jobs working on construction sites and earned about £2 per day. Sometimes he did not have work and it was difficult to put food on his table for the family.
After getting the bicycle, he earns about £3-3.50 daily and has no worries about being unemployed because he now has a bicycle and is member of the Bicycle Taxi Association where he contributes about 10p daily. After 2 years he will be able to borrow money from the cooperative and start a business for his wife.
Habimana commented: “Now that I have my own bicycle I am assured of earning a living for my family because I can work every day and I plan to help my wife to start a small business selling in the market. I am now excited for our future ahead.”
You can help other survivors, such as Habimana, set up a bicycle taxi business through buying from the Good Gifts Catalogue.
