Education Education Every child has the right to go to school and learn, regardless of who he/she is, his/her living conditions, or his/her family status. Key areas of our work in education include: Sponsorship in education Even if there are many tips for a student to be productive at school, but also a student needs to be financially and materially secured. HIHD is committed to support financially and materially in education Rwanda children from poor and marginalized families so that they are not deprived of their right to education due the status, living conditions or vulnerability of their families. HIHD Supports in education children from poor families, marginalized families and children with albinism disability by providing them school supplies, school uniform and other necessary materials for an efficient education. Early Childhood Development All children have the right to be raised in a family and to have access to quality health care, good nutrition, education, play and protection from harm, abuse and discrimination and they have the right to grow up in an environment in which they are enabled to reach their full potential in life. The challenge The first five years are particularly important for the development of the child's brain, and the first three years are the most critical in shaping the child's brain architecture. These early years of a child's life are fundamentally important; they are the foundation that shapes children's future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general. Children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life. They need love and nurturing to develop a sense of trust and security that turns into confidence as they grow. Babies and young children grow, learn and develop rapidly when they receive love and affection, attention, encouragement and mental stimulation, as well as nutritious meals and good health care; early years of a child have a lasting effect on a child’s future. In Rwanda, 38% of children are stunted, preventing them from reaching their full potential in cognitive, motor, language and socio-emotional skills; and in the long term, these children who are chronically malnourished have a great chance of performing poorly in school. To ensure that children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled, at HIHD we provide to children and families basic Early Childhood Development (ECD) services. Our basic ECD services include: ⦁ Help a child to develop a broad range of abilities to use and build upon throughout life that include the ability to: ⦁ Learn ⦁ Be self-confident and have high self-esteem ⦁ Have positive social skills ⦁ Have successful relationships at later ages, ⦁ Develop a sense of empathy. ⦁ Help children to explore and understand their world ⦁ Help parents understanding the stages of child development so that they know what to expect and how to best support the child as she/he grows and develops. ⦁ Good nutrition ⦁ Proper healthcare

NABACU (“THEY ARE OURS”) program focuses on people with albinism disability. Thousands of people living with albinism lives are endangered in Africa and particularly in sub Saharan African countries such as Nigeria, Sudan Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and southern African countries like Malawi etc. Witchcrafts and sorcery have developed much in these counties and endanger lives of these people. Children and women are the most at high risk because of their physical status and stereotypes that wicked people have towards them. People living with albinism are confronted with persecution which is based on the belief that certain body parts of albinistic people can transmit magical powers. Such superstition is present especially in some parts of the African Great Lakes region, it has been promulgated and exploited by witch doctors and others who use such body parts as ingredients in rituals, concoctions and potions with the claim that their magic will bring prosperity to the user. As a result, people with albinism have been persecuted, killed and dismembered, and their graves dug up and desecrated. At the same time, people with albinism have also been ostracized and even killed for exactly the opposite reason, because they are presumed to be cursed and bring bad luck. As above mentioned, the persecutions of people with albinism take place mostly in communities of Sub-Sahara Africa, especially among East African. Albinism is a genetically inherited condition which is very rare and, worldwide, affects approximately one in twenty thousand people although rare in the western world; albinism is quite common in sub-Saharan Africa, likely as a result of consanguinity. Both parents, who may or may not be albinos themselves, must carry the gene if it is to be passed on to the child. Albinism occurs in both males and females and is not specific to any race or ethnic group. Although very few understand or are educated about the medical and genetic causes of this condition, many believe it is a punishment from God or bad luck, and that their "disease" could be contagious, which is often the view of even members of the medical and professional community. These misconceptions, coupled with the lack of education, are some of the key reasons that albinism is so heavily persecuted. This lack of knowledge about people with albinism means that folktales and superstition in the name of witchcraft take the place of medical and scientific facts in the minds of many native Africans, with and without albinism, which in turn has major effects on the social integration of albinistic people into African society. Ninety-eight percent of albinos die by the age of forty for reasons which could easily be prevented. The prevalence of albinism varies across the world. According to the World Health Organization, estimates vary from 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 15,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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.