Whilst here in Rwanda, we have had the opportunity to see the progress of a number of projects funded by Survivors Fund (SURF). Through meetings with our partner organisations and field visits it has been excellent to see first hand the development of what in some instances only a year ago were just ideas.

A case in point is the Education into Employment programme. Last week at the office of SURF Rwanda, we officially handed over computers to AERG and GAERG to enable them to set up IT centres for young survivors at four universities across Rwanda. The project was made possible through funding from The Funding Network and Inpire!Africa, through a project that was first developed by the UK Conservative Party during Project Umubano last year. The handover ceremony was covered in The New Times. Credit is particularly due to Maia Gedde and Catherine Russell, who are coordinating this project, and to Digital Links that sourced and shipped the computers.

This month SURF officially inaugurated a new genocide memorial wall in Cyome in the Ngororero District of the Western Province of Rwanda which we funded. SURF Co-Chair, Liliane Umubyeyi, was Guest of Honour at the inauguration accompanying SURF Rwanda Administrator, Ariane Uwamahoro, to the ceremony – a report of which can be read here: Dukundane Family.

We are in a fortunate position that these are just two of a number of projects on which we could report. Most importantly, as the projects progress they enable survivors to progress too – for which SURF continues to strive.