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FXB Rwanda Quarterly Newsletter

January-March 2023 Issue

Creating a World Fit for Children

Dear valued stakeholders,

We are delighted to extend a warm welcome to you on our organization updates. Our latest newsletter is an excellent platform that enables us to share with you the latest developments, accomplishments, and initiatives that we have undertaken to advance our mission.

Your continued support and interest in our work are invaluable, and we are excited to keep you informed about the progress we are making towards achieving our goals. We hope that our newsletter will serve as an informative and engaging resource for you.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our organization and mission, and we look forward to keeping you updated through our quarterly newsletter.

Best regards,

FXB Rwanda Team

ENGAGEMENT AND EVENTS

From March 30, 2023, FXB Rwanda in partnership with Nyanza and Rwamagana districts organized and held a 3 day camp for beneficiaries Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) to boost their confidence & leadership skills. The event was primarily attended by 200 AGYW who are in their senior six (S6) of secondary education. The activity provided a platform for the AGYW participants to engage with and listen to inspirational speakers from various fields, including government leadership, health, journalism, and business.

On January 27, 2023, Colette Peck, Senior OVC Advisor at USAID/Washington, accompanied by the USAID Rwanda team led by Deputy Health Mission Director Libby, visited FXB Rwanda ongoing activities in Rwamagana district. The purpose of the visit was to gain insights into FXB Rwanda's implementation approach and to support the organization in enhancing its implementation capabilities.

On January 18, Delphine from Mairie de Paris conducted a visit to our programs: AMIE, FXBVillage Gasharu II, and WASH & Nutrition. The objective of the visit was to gain an understanding of our implementation approach and progress in these programs. The visit was a productive engagement, and we are grateful for Delphine's insightful suggestions which were and are leveraged to strengthen our programming efforts.

OUR PROGRAMS SNAPSHOT

IGIRE-TURENGERE ABANA (BE RESILIENT - LET US PROTECT THE CHILDREN)

Implemented in Nyanza, Huye and Rwamagana districts, Igire-Turengere Abana aims at reducing HIV incidence and vulnerability among Adolescent Girls and Young Women, Orphans and Vulnerable Children and their families.

SUGIRA MURYANGO (FAMILY STRENGTHENING INTERVENTION)

The program aims at improving Early Childhood Development among children of 0 to 3 years through nurturing care and reduced violence. FSI Sugira Muryango is implemented in districts of Nyanza, Rubavu and Ngoma.

FXBVILLAGE GASHARU II

Through this program, FXBVillage model which aims at alleviating poverty among the targeted population is implemented in Gasharu cell of Nyamirambo sector-Nyarugenge district.

FXBVILLAGE MUSAMBIRA I

This is also an FXBVillage model implemented to alleviate poverty among the targeted population of Musambira sector in Kamonyi district.

FXBVILLAGE LIGHT FOUNDATION

Another FXBVillage model program implemented in Gisagara and Nyaruguru districts to alleviate poverty among the targeted beneficiaries.

NSP-HIV/TB Project (National Strategic Plan-Human Immuno deficiency Virus /Tuberculosis)

Reaching out the key population (Female Sex Workers, Men who have sex with other men, Injecting drug users and Transgender) with HIV prevention package in districts of Kamonyi, Musanze, and Gakenke.

AMIE Project (AIDS-free, Mentored, Integrated and Empowered)

This project provides the extensive HIV prevention package to Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in Runda sector of Kamonyi district.

POSE (Phyto-Social Enterprise)

POSE project aims at contributing to the increased production of plant-based medicines for local and regional consumption.

WASH and NUTRITION Project

The WASH & Nutrition project is implemented in Runda and Gacurabwenge sectors of Kamonyi district targeting children, pregnant and lactating mothers in need with nutrition and WASH support to alleviate malnutrition.

QUARTERLY KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

HIV/AIDS INTERVENTION AREA

For Prevention

NSP-HIV/TB implemented mapping and updates of key populations for continuous HIV prevention services in its operating districts of Kamonyi, Musanze, and Gakenke. This effort resulted in a total of 2,144 Female Sex Workers (FSWs) and 607 Men who have Sex with Men (MSM)/Transgender individuals receiving HIV prevention packages during the quarter.

The Igire-Turengere Abana program (ITAP) and AMIE Project provided HIV prevention education packages to 31,228 Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) through safe spaces. This intervention has played a critical role in reducing the vulnerability of AGYW to HIV transmission and building their knowledge and capacity to protect themselves.

Through the Igire-Turengere Abana program (ITAP) and FXBVillage Gasharu II, 1,259 school-age Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) received Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) education, and HIV prevention education as an additional skill complementing their formal education. This intervention aimed to equip these children with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions regarding their health, well-being, and future.

A total of 13,912 beneficiaries, including Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW), Key Populations (KPs), and adults, were referred for HIV voluntary testing. This referral effort plays a critical role in increasing access to HIV testing services, identifying new HIV infections, and linking those infected to appropriate care and treatment services.

Care and Treatment

During this quarter, a total of 57 teen mothers who are female sex workers and living with HIV received capacity building training on adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) treatment, as well as nutrition practices for improved health and wellbeing of both themselves and their children.

Across our programs, a total of 590 FXB beneficiaries who are living with HIV received continuous psychosocial support, Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) adherence follow-ups, advice on good nutrition, and other forms of support to ensure they have the resources needed to adhere to their ART medication and maintain their overall wellbeing. Such care and treatment interventions play a vital role in supporting those living with HIV to live healthy, reduce their vulnerability, and improve their quality of life.

ECONOMIC STRENGTHENING

New Program Launch

On the dates of March 14 and 25, we launched the FXBVillage Light Foundation program in the districts of Gisagara and Nyaruguru Districts respectively.

Saving Groups and Income Generating Activities

The total of 8,788 beneficiaries maintained their saving culture through 371 Internal Saving and Lending Groups (ISLGs) supported within our programs of Igire-Turengere Abana, FXBVillage Gasharu II, FXBVillage Musambira I, AMIE, and WASH & Nutrition.
On March 8, taking the occasion of International Women’ Day (IWD), we provided the total of 6.8 million to AGYW in AMIE to facilitate their saving and lending activities with ultimate goal of creating their diversified income generating activities.
On the same day, through Igire-Turengere Abana, the AGYW who had graduated previously got supported with start-up kit including sewing machines. On other hand, their parents and those of OVC benefited the program's support to start the small livestock IGA
Through FXBVillage Gasharu II, 160 direct beneficiary families were supported with 5.8 million as the support in their income generating activities on February 11, 2023.
100 direct beneficiary families of FXBVillage Musambira I received their first round of support for Income Generating Activities reinforcement during this quarter.

Digitalization of Saving Groups

The master training for DreamSave digital saving groups management was delivered to the staff of FXB Rwanda who trained back the members of the saving groups in using this digital technique in their management.

HEALTH, WASH AND NUTRITION

New Program Launch

On Friday, February 10th, 2023, FXB Rwanda in partnership with National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA) launched the Phyto social enterprise (POSE) project which seeks to increase the production of herbal medicinal products for local and regional consumption.

WASH

On February 11, 2023, 160 beneficiary families of FXBVillage Gasharu II got supported with hygienic materials to support them in hygienic practices improvements.
In the same spirit, the project of WASH & Nutrition supported its 150 direct families with hygienic materials on 13th February 2023.
Through WASH & Nutrition project, two schools were supported with water purifiers with the aim of clean water access to students, school teachers and leaders.
Through messages delivery channels, the programs of FXBVillage Gasharu II, FXBVillage Musambira I and WASH and Nutrition reached about 16,000 beneficiaries with hygienic education messages.

NUTRITION

During this quarter; through our FXBVillage Gasharu II, FXBVillage Musambira I, WASH and Nutrition, and AMIE Project; the total of 8,479 students and school stakeholders in beneficiary schools as well as 1,822 community member beneficiaries were helped with improved agricultural techniques through Farmer Field Schools. The support in agriculture aims at improved nutrition.
150 beneficiary families of WASH and Nutrition were engaged in 2 consecutive culinary demonstrations organized.
At least 1,522 beneficiaries benefited the nutrition education messages from our FXBVillages and WASH & Nutrition programs

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Under Sugira Muryango Program, our home visiting approach aiming at improved ECD of 0 to 3 years children:

The total of 1,058 family beneficiaries in Rubavu, Nyanza and Ngoma districts received the Sugira Muryango 12 ECD modules package.
99 sector level and district level government stakeholders were trained on Early Childhood Development.
Over 50 Play Collaborative meetings were conducted during this quarter. Play collaborative is an extensive platform in which the local officials and community actors are engaged to discuss and solve the ECD related problems.
The program's "Digital Dashboard" was tested to help in data management and retaining for upcoming iterations.

EDUCATION

Through Igire-Turengere Abana, FXBVillage Gasharu II, AMIE Project, FXBVillage Musambira I, the total of 42,682 school level beneficiaries were supported with scholastic materials and school fees to continue their studies well.
681 beneficiaries through the same programs of Igire-Turengere Abana and AMIE got the support in attending the Technical and Vocational Education Trainings.
We kept the close collaboration with the schools in which the our all educational level beneficiaries study through the supervision of how qualitative they are studying.

FXB Rwanda worked collaboratively with its implementing partners to do a collaborative school monitoring to learn on how the efforts programs gather in supporting children are helping as well as getting feedback from schools stakeholders on how to do better in upcoming programming.

VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Through Igire-Turengere Abana and AMIE programs, the total of 31,228 Adolescent Girls and Young Women were sensitized on preventing any form of violence in their living habits.
Through the Start Awareness Support Action (SASA), we were able to mobilize the community members on negative norms change. Under this model, we reached the total of 4,137 adult community members with messages on changing negative norms which are contributing to the voilence.
Through our Igire-Turengere Abana, the number of 73 SASA activists were newly recruited and trained with the aim of increasing their reach in community negative norms change.
We maintained the spirit of mobilizing the beneficiaries on violence prevention insisting on violence against children as well as gender-based violence; and referring the revealed violence cases.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION

To contribute to the environment conservation which ultimately affect climate change, through WASH & Nutrition, we had worked with the 2 beneficiary schools to plant the total of 550 fruit, shady and ornamental trees in the school surrounding environment.
The environment clubs made of total of 500 students, among which each follows up one tree of the said, were strengthened in this quarter. The process included up-skilling them on practices of conserving trees and environment.
Through our Farmer Field Schools implemented under FXBVillage Gasharu II, WASH & Nutrition and AMIE programs; the total of 1,312 adult beneficiaries and 8,479 students benefited from the agriculture knowledge and skills package that respond to impacts of climate change but also remain friendly to environment.

UPCOMINGS

FXB Rwanda is looking forward to strong implementation of the programs launched in this quarter, continuity of other programs implementation as well as new opportunities and partnerships leveraging.

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