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.

School meals

Universal access to school meals has been an integral part of the government’s strategy to address children’s hunger during the school day and expand access to educational opportunities to disadvantaged children, particularly orphans and vulnerable school learners.

The school meals programme is an effective mechanism for addressing child nutrition issues, increasing educational enrolment, retention and performance. However, for the program to be successful it implies different institutional strengthening at the national, regional and district levels to ensure that all schools are set up to provide the meals required.

This is the main reason, Survivors Fund (SURF) through the support of Good Gifts, we have supported 50 young children attending school at Kimihurura Primary School to be able to afford meals. As they are coming from poor families, they cannot afford the contributions that other children can make to eat together with others. At least 50 children will now be able to have lunch meals every day for the entire academic year through the support of Good Gifts.

The Headmaster of Kimihurura Primary school commented: “I thank Survivors Fund (SURF) very much for this support. We have a long list of young children whose parents are suffering, and unable to pay the contribution for their children to have meals during the school day. This support is critical and has helped them to get the meals they need. Thank you.”

You can buy 30 School Dinners here.