Muhanga: DUHAMIC Adri to support people infected and affected by HIV, teen mothers
DUHaranira AMajyambere y’ICyaro-DUHAMIC Adri, a local non-profit organization dedicated to rural development, has pledged to support associations of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, as well as teen mothers.
This assistance will be provided through a five-year PEPFAR/USAID-funded project called IGIRE-JYAMBERE, which will be implemented in all sectors of the Nyarugenge and Muhanga districts.
Bernard Harushyabana, the Project Manager, revealed this on Saturday, October 15th, 2022, while speaking at the International Day of Rural Women celebration in Kiyumba sector, Muhanga District.
According to Harushyabana, they will prioritize the following categories.
“We will engage in a variety of activities aimed at improving the community development, combating the AIDS epidemic, teen pregnancy, and domestic violence,” he said.
He added that they will send the teen mothers back to school; (secondary and Technical and Vocational Education and Training-TVET), paying their tuition and providing them with the necessary equipment. Those who complete the TVET will be given start-up kits.
As previously stated, teen mothers face various issues during and after pregnancy, including extreme poverty, school dropout, rejection by their families, trauma, and contamination with various sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), among others.
Orphans, vulnerable children, and children with disabilities were the most vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation throughout the country.
During that time, DUHAMIC Adri will assist HIV-positive people with psychological counseling and how to live in harmony with their families.
They will be assisted in obtaining unconditional housing grants, as well as being placed in savings and loan groups, with the goal of transforming their lives and family matters.
Jaqueline Kayitare, Mayor of Muhanga District, thanks that organization and hopes that this project is a great opportunity for the citizens of Muhanga, so she says that they will work together to transform their lives.
According to Ministry of Health reports, teenage pregnancy is on the rise. From 2016 to 2020, 98,432 cases of teenage pregnancy (aged 15-19) were recorded in all health centers across the country (MOH report 2020), with many dropping out of school to become teenage mothers.
In 2016, there were 17,849 teenage births recorded. According to The National Institute for Statistics of Rwanda-NISR, it fell to 17,337 in 2017.
In Muhanga District, 90 teen mothers were identified during a door-to-door assessment in all sectors in 2021. In 2018, 200 cases were reported in the same district.
DUHAMIC-ADRI was created in 1979, In Rwanda, it is operational in 24 districts.
