ABOUT HIH dev: HIHD is a social and economic development organization dedicated to promote the living conditions of vulnerable and marginalized people as well as protecting and defending their rights. HIHD was founded in 2012 by good-hearted people motivated by the disarray and precarious situations through which people lived especially those orphans, widows, people living with albinism, girls heads of households as a result from the hard times and civil wars that Rwanda passed through before and after colonization period. These led to excessive unemployment youth and severe conditions for marginalized groups; therefore, there was strong need to reintegrate them socially and economically in developing vocational skills; providing training and awareness campaigns on peace building , human rights and ensuring education and innovation in job creation.

MISSSION: Our mission is to promote the wellbeing of the population in general, especially communities living in economically difficult situation, orphans, unemployed youth, women and girls, widows and the disabled unable to take care of themselves.

VISION: We envision a future where all citizens have the same value and a standard living condition.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: To raise the income and employment of youths, single mothers and women living with HIV/AIDS of small-scale activities through different sustainable business development, Promote WLWHIV/AIDS entrepreneurship and their increased participation in the economy of the country, Behavior change of WLWHIV/AIDS into business oriented, Markets research initiated, Increase their technical capacity through financial literacy and saving education training, Kitchen garden, livestock rearing put in place,Inclusion of WLWHIV/AIDS in all daily activities to build strongly their families and the country, Self- Financing, To increase their healthy state through promoting the hygiene and sanitation and nutrition study, HIV/AIDS prevalence rate reduced. No more stigma and marginalization and Promoting access to clean water by introducing the rain water harvesting system and bio-sand water filter construction in the marginalized communities.

Since its establishment, HIHD has partnered with the international organizations and good hearted people to implement various projects worth more than $ 8,90,000 in the areas of HIV prevention, family planning, economic inclusion and opportunities in favor of socio-economically vulnerable people, child street protection and reintegration, Promotion of human rights including people with disability and chronic diseases and marginalized communities, promotion of hygiene and sanitation as well capacity building of the communities and community based organizations (CBOs) in the Districts of Rubavu, Rutsiro, Burera, Musanze, Nyabihu , Ngororero, Muhanga, Rwamagana and Huye.

APPROACH: To achieve our success, we initiate our projects at community level, they become community driven projects. They are community members who are benefiting from the project at the same time changing living conditions in their community and contributing to its development. Our goal is not just to get a change, but to make sure it’s a long-lasting community driven change with a great foundation.

Genocide

The Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, was a mass slaughter of Tutsi, Twa, and moderate Hutu in Rwanda, which took place between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. The genocide was organised by members of the core Hutu political elite, many of whom occupied positions at top levels of the national government. Most historians agree that a genocide against the Tutsi had been planned for at least a year. However, the assassination of Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana on 6 April 1994 created a power vacuum and ended peace accords. Genocidal killings began the following day when soldiers, police, and militia executed key Tutsi and moderate Hutu military and political leaders. The scale and brutality of the massacre caused shock worldwide, but Western nations such as Belgium, France, the U.S., and others ignored the genocide. Most of the victims were killed in their own villages or towns, many by their neighbors and fellow villagers. Hutu gangs searched out victims hiding in churches and school buildings. The militia murdered victims with machetes and rifles. An estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed, about 70% of the Tutsi population. Sexual violence was rife, with an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 women raped during the genocide. The genocide ended with the military victory of the Rwandan Patriotic Front. The genocide had lasting and profound effects on Rwanda and neighbouring countries. Today, Rwanda has two public holidays to mourn the genocide, and denial or historic revisionism of the genocide is a criminal offence. As a result of the genocide, nations collaborated to establish the International Criminal Court.