Avega Agahozo

AVEGA Eastern region is one of the branches of AVEGA that was opened officially in the year 2000. It operates in the eastern Province following the new governmental demarcations. Its offices are found in Rwamagana District, Muhazi sector in Kanywilili cell, 50 kilometers from Kigali (The capital city of Rwanda). It therefore performs its duties and services in seven districts that constitute the eastern Province, namely Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma, Kirehe, Gatsibo, Nyagatare and Bugesera. AVEGA Eastern Province has 4031 genocide widows and 17273 orphans. We have 40% of widows who are over 55 years old and 60% between 35-55 years old.  It is comprised of 4031 widows and 17273 orphans. The widows and orphans concerned are those who were affected by the 1994 genocide. Significant to note is that in 1994 there was genocide in Rwanda where by more than one million Rwandans lost their lives. There was extreme butchering of one ethnic group. Indeed it was a period inexplicable upheavals and enormous terror. Most people lost their properties; that is, they had their properties either looted or destroyed. Several women were raped, girls defiled; indeed they experienced tremendous sexual violence. This resulted in acquisition of fatal diseases such as Aids, gonorrhea to mention but a few.  

The following a beneficiary of AVEGA East

      

The main objectives of the eastern region are to come nearer or close to the members so that their problems can be solved or re-orientated to their respective places easily and efficiently.Among other objectives of AVEGA are to improve the genocide widows’ psycho-socio and economic standards of living. The widows who survived genocide in Rwanda do suffer a lot of fatal genocide outcomes. All this resulted from the rape, sexual violence which further led to acquisition of incurable diseases such as AIDS. A clinic was constructed in 2005 with the help of SURF that would provide medical care and treatment to the members suffering from various diseases caused by genocide effects. These include AIDS among others. This assisted members so much. It is now easy for them to disclose their diseases and acquire regular treatment.  

 The AVEGA Eastern region was funded especially by SURF (UK) since it was decentralized. Another donor is CAFOD (UK), which sponsors psychosocial programme. MSAADA and RDT have also sponsored some projects. AVEGA accomplishes its activities through four programmes as named below: -      Medical department-      Advocacy, justice and information department-      Administration and finance department-      Economic and social operations department         AVEGA beneficiaries are helped to help themselves and become self sufficient  

Representative of CAFOD in Rwanda with coordinator of AVEGA East are giving message of reinforcement about conflict resolution Problems: -     

A big number of beneficiaries who are very needy-      A big number of beneficiaries who are homeless (at least 300)-      Students who are incapable of affording the university fee because their marks are not acceptable according to the criteria of students funded by the Rwandan government  

 FUTURE PROSPECTS -          To resolve the problem of lack of shelter because it is the major cause of traumatism-          To ensure that widows and orphans who are either affected or infected by Aids live a better life-          To reduce trauma with the help of group counseling and individual counseling-          To increase the number of women involved in generating projects -          To advocate for university fee for students who are not able to pay for themselves (at least 10 students per year)