The support from Good Gifts through the Charities Advisory Trust continues to be transformative for thousands of genocide survivors and their dependents across Rwanda. The impact of the funding from Good Gifts is enabling SURF and its local partner organisations to respond to the needs of the genocide survivors, and in most cases enabling them and members of their household to generate an income that delivers a sustainable impact far beyond the period of the grants. This is leading our partner organisations and the survivors supported through the programme to become more independent and self-sufficient.
This is one of a series of posts we will be publishing of the impact of the gifts, with a link to the specific gift which enabled us to make this support possible.
A Cow for a Survivor
Munyampundu Cyprien is a 36 year old young survivor living in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. Of his 8 family members, he alone survived the genocide.
He did not manage to finish his studies because he had trauma related to his experience during the genocide and the consequences of it that he has had to deal with since.
His principal daily activity is farming, through which he can cultivate different crops and ensure that his family is provided with nutritious food. Through the support of Good Gifts, he has received a cow from Survivors Fund (SURF) to support him and his neighbours in getting milk and manure to increase crop productivity and help fight against malnutrition, as well as generate income from selling any surplus milk. This will help supplement his income-generating activities.
Cyprien comments: “My heart is full of joy after receiving this cow. You know very well that a cow in Rwandan culture symbolizes a sign of true love from the giver to the receiver. This shows how you are very concerned about the life of survivors. So, I thank you very much and the donors for bridging this divide and helping my family and neighbors to improve the standards of our living through this cow. It is not mine alone, it is for the community since I will share this cow with the neighbors as well.”
You can buy A Cow here.
