October 17 in Rwanda – working together to prevent the isolation of the very poorest members of society
Solidarity projects to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty in Rwanda
These projects have been organised throughout the year by the Friends of ATD, and bring together families living in extreme poverty, following an initiative by the Association Belgique-Rwanda (ABR). They take on particular importance during the week that precedes October 17, as they provide people living in poverty with an opportunity to come together and take a stand against their isolation and to turn October 17 into a "celebration of solidarity".
Eleven ATD Fourth World delegates from Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, the UK and France, joined forces to build two houses for families that were virtually homeless. One of the mothers involved in the project said: “I’m a widow. In the past, I didn’t speak to anyone. With the ’Friends of ATD’, I no longer live in isolation. I meet with other people now, and we work the fields together. My house was about to fall down and the ’Friends of ATD’ gave me a plot of land and now they’re helping me to build this house.”
We were also able to visit some of the families living in the hills. They told us that ATD Fourth World helped them to express themselves and to inform themselves about what was going on in the country. They went on to register the births of children who had not been registered, learnt new farming and livestock breeding techniques, and looked at ways of building peace between communities. These families will be visiting other families who are even more desperate, to encourage them to fight by telling them about their experiences and how they succeeded in improving their lives.
This is what Viviane got up and told us on October 17, speaking to an audience made up of the regional authorities, pupils from several schools, association members and national television.
Philippe Hamel ATD Fourth World Delegate for Africa
Website of World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty
We were also able to visit some of the families living in the hills. They told us that ATD Fourth World helped them to express themselves and to inform themselves about what was going on in the country. They went on to register the births of children who had not been registered, learnt new farming and livestock breeding techniques, and looked at ways of building peace between communities. These families will be visiting other families who are even more desperate, to encourage them to fight by telling them about their experiences and how they succeeded in improving their lives.
This is what Viviane got up and told us on October 17, speaking to an audience made up of the regional authorities, pupils from several schools, association members and national television.
Philippe Hamel ATD Fourth World Delegate for Africa
Website of World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty
