Empowering Refugees: CARE Rwanda’s Intervention in Mugombwa Refugee Camp

Life in Mugombwa refugee camp meant surviving on a modest monthly allowance with little hope for financial independence. She had fled conflict in eastern DRC, leaving everything behind. Despite Feza’s determination to support her family, opportunities seemed limited – until the GEWEP III project introduced her to telecommunications training and the VSLA savings model that would transform her economic future.

overcoming unemployment challenges as a refugee

Life has never been easy for Umuraza in Mugombwa refugee camp. He fled there at just 10 years old with his family, relying solely on humanitarian aid to survive. Despite earning his secondary school degree, employment remained elusive – until the FREE project supported him in acquiring technical skills. Today, he uses those skills to run his own business, transforming his life from dependency to self-reliance.

Growing More Than Food: A mother’s nutrition journey

Meet Mutuyimana Jacqueline from the rolling hills of Gicumbi district’s Mutete sector. As a young mother with a one-year-old child, she once struggled with the seemingly insurmountable challenge of providing proper nutrition. Like many rural mothers, Jacqueline’s understanding of nutrition was limited. Meals were simple and repetitive, typically consisting of sweet potatoes, manioc and whatever local crops were available. The Kungahara project was launched in 2024 to help adress the knowledge gap.

Helping adolescents harness their potential: Assinata’s journey.

At 13, Assinata dropped out of school, ostensibly to handle household chores after her elder sisters married. However, the real reason was her giving in to peer pressure to escape her home and go to look for a job as a house girl. Through GEWEP III, CARE Rwanda and partners have helped her to reconnect with her family and also help her with saving skills, supporting her for self sustainance.