Foundation Rwanda

Mission

An estimated 20,000 children were born from rapes committed during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Due to the stigma associated with rape, these children and their mothers have been severely marginalized by their families and communities and are not actively seeking help. No existing government or NGO programs have been created to support their specific needs. In 2007, Foundation Rwanda was established to improve the lives of these children by 1) providing funding for their secondary school education, 2) linking their mothers to existing psychological and medical support services and income-generating activities, and 3) raising awareness about the consequences of genocide and sexual violence through photography and new media.

History

In February 2006, photojournalist Jonathan Torgovnik traveled to East Africa on behalf of Newsweek magazine to develop the story for the 25th anniversary of HIV/AIDS. While there, he met Margaret, a Rwandan survivor who was brutally raped during the genocide, became pregnant, and contracted HIV. This horrific story led Torgovnik to embark on a photography project to document and tell the stories of 30 women like Margaret. He learned an estimated 20,000 children were born from rape during the genocide and that their mothers were unable to afford the secondary school fees to keep these children in school. Deeply affected by the ongoing challenges these women and children face on a daily basis, Torgovnik joined with the non-profit professional Jules Shell to create Foundation Rwanda in 2007.

The Education Initiative

Currently, all of Rwanda’s estimated 20,000 children born of rape will be turning eighteen and eligible for secondary school. While primary school in Rwanda is free, the annual fee for secondary school is $350, which includes the costs of books, uniforms and transportation. Foundation Rwanda is currently sponsoring the secondary school fees for 830 children with the goal to sponsor 1500 children in 2012. By partnering with local NGOs to establish outreach programs throughout the country, we confidentially identify these families, pay the mandatory secondary school fees directly to the partner schools, and supply the necessary books, uniforms, and transportation to enable the children to attend school. Foundation Rwanda also connects families to a range of psychological, social and medical services provided by existing local partners.

Maternal Support Services

Foundation Rwanda connects families to a range of psychological, social and medical services provided by existing local partners. While Foundation Rwanda intends to grow their network of outreach and support services, we currently partner with established organizations such as SURF Survivors Fund, Indego Africa, Avega and Kanyarwanda to provide psychological and medical support and help provide these women with access to income-generating activities.

Advocacy & Outreach

Foundation Rwanda uses new media, photography, and video to document the testimonies of women who survived the atrocities committed during the 1994 genocide. This documentation has been effective, giving female survivors a place for their voices to be heard and furthers the organization’s mission to promote awareness of the consequences of genocide and gender-based violence. The Telegraph (UK), El-Pais (Spain), Flair (Italy), Stern (Germany) and Newsweek International have published articles using the photographs and first-hand testimonies of female survivors. In 2008, London’s National Portrait Gallery recognized one of Torgovnik’s photographs, awarding it first prize in its prestigious annual portrait competition. Foundation Rwanda seeks to travel the Intended Consequences photography exhibition to key cities and universities, while using a variety of multimedia tools to create a grassroots campaign to drive online donations, including:

• A Photography Book: Intended Consequences: Rwandan Children Born of Rape (Aperture, 2009)
• The Color Rwanda With Hope traveling exhibition & Coloring Book (www.colorrwanda.org)
• A Traveling University Exhibition: Intended Consequences (Aperture & The Open Society Institute)
• Intended Consequences Education Curriculum Guide (Amnesty International)
• Global reading of the Testimonies Campaign, April 7 (www.readingofthetestimonies.com)
• Public Service Announcement Campaign (print, radio, television & Internet)