In 2013, Her Excellency Mrs Jeannette Kagame launched the Early Childhood Development and Family (ECD&F) programme, to support the holistic development of children aged 0 to 6 years old. The goal of the programme is to ensure that children are intellectually stimulated, healthy and safe, while their families and communities are trained as caregivers.
The ECD&F programme is implemented in the following approaches:
• ECD centres (3 to 6 years old)
• Home-based services (3 to 6 years old)
• Home visits (0 to 3 years old)
In addition, parents receive training on Income Generating Activities (IGAs). Imbuto Foundation offers and delivers integrated Early Childhood Development services in 16 districts, namely: Gasabo, Nyarugenge, Kicukiro, Gicumbi, Gakenke, Nyamasheke, Ruhango, Nyamagabe, Nyabihu, Kayonza, Ngoma, Rwamagana, Rutsiro, Nyanza, Ngororero and Burera.
This initiative aims to improve access to remedial learning support services for underperforming students.
Imbuto Foundation, collaborating with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Education, have established learning clubs in 50 primary schools across 10 districts: Nyagatare, Ngoma, Kirehe, Rulindo, Gakenke, Nyabihu, Ngororero, Huye, Nyamagabe and Rusizi.
Twige Neza Dutsinde engages struggling learners at the upper primary level who are at risk for dropping out. It aims to improve both their learning outcomes (literacy and numeracy), as well as their attitudes and practices towards gender and the empowerment of girls.
This initiative has been successful in meeting its programme objectives, with reports of students performing better academically, being more respectful of diversity, more enthusiastic about school and learning and developing strong group working skills. The initiative works with the families of its beneficiaries, whose support is essential in instilling positive values, such as politeness and respect in the classroom, cleanliness and punctuality.
In 2005, under the leadership of Her Excellency Mrs Jeannette Kagame, Imbuto Foundation launched the Promotion of Girls’ Education Campaign (PGEC).
Each year, parents, teachers, local leaders and students, interact with inspirational role models and hear their testimonies on the importance of education.
The campaign also awards the Best Performing Girls (BPGs), or Inkubito z’Icyeza, in different school cycles across the country.
This scholarship programme was initiated in 2003 to financially support secondary school students from economically vulnerable backgrounds, in their pursuit of education.
Beneficiaries of this programme receive assistance of up to USD 300 per year to help pay for their living costs, health insurance and school supplies.
Each year, Imbuto Foundation holds a holiday camp, where the scholars are taught how to manage their health, finances and receive the necessary tools to be successful in both their professional and personal endeavors. Since its launch, more than 8,000 scholarships have been awarded to secondary school boys and girls.
Launched in 2010, the Reading Day Campaign was a project piloted by Imbuto Foundation. It has since become a recurring campaign themed “Today a Reader, Tomorrow a Leader” with around 4 annual Reading Day events in which Imbuto Foundation develops media and promotional campaigns to raise awareness among children, parents and teachers on the importance of reading.
This initiative works with parents and teachers by equipping them with knowledge on how to create love for reading among their children and students, while also acquiring writing skills. The campaign also involves reading competitions and rewards the best performers.
Launched in 2012, the Kacyiru Community Knowledge Centre project (KCKC) organises trainings to empower the community with various information and communications (ICT) skills.
The centre is equipped in such a way that it can be used as a library, but also as a for-profit internet café providing ICT services to the public, while using earned revenues for diverse community projects.
Through this project:
• 643 P6 students trained to use Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as gaining skills in web searching,
• 12 community members trained to train others.
