A team of officials from Zonta International, on February 4, 2012 visited Kacyiru Police Hospital, where they were impressed by several initiatives aimed at advancing the status of women in the country.
Zonta International is an international service organization founded in Buffalo, New York in 1919 with the mission of advancing the status of women through service delivery and advocacy.
It is the major funder of the Programme for the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), Family Package project and Isange One Stop Centre which operates under Kacyiru Police Hospital, through United Nations and Imbuto Foundation.
“Today, I found a very good system; I like this (Family Package) concept. The government is doing great work. It makes me happy seeing what this project has done to Rwandans,” stated Pauliina Auckee, who headed the group.
“You can see the beneficiaries are very happy and you can see it in what they are doing and the way they respond. I really hope that they (government) will continue this kind of work,” She added.
At the hospital, team was received by ACP Dr. Daniel Nyamwasa, the Director of the hospital, who briefed them on the activities of the hospital.
The team toured several departments including the anti-GBV medical wing – Isange One Stop Centre – and the PMTCT.
The Family Package also include prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and provision of health care, prenatal and obstetrical services, linkage to reproductive health programs, nutritional support, psychosocial services and income-generating activities to HIV-positive mothers.
The Family Package project currently operates in 27 health centres in six districts in the country, where women get antenatal care and those found HIV positive are organized in associations and cooperatives and supported to start small income generating activities.
Radegonde Ndejuru, the Director General of Imbuto Foundation commended the two international organizations – Zonta International and UN – for their commitment to contribute towards improvement of the health of mothers and children in Rwanda.
At Kacyiru Police Hospital, alone, a total of 124 women found HIV positive are organized in a handcraft cooperative society called Impore.
The women earn approximately Rwf50, 000 through selling their goods.
One of the Family Package beneficiaries, (name withheld), said she discovered she was HIV positive in 2008.
“I was pregnant and with the help of medical personnel, I have managed to live a positive life and my child is HIV negative. With this project – handcraft – I am in position to support my child and my family,” she stated.
Another beneficiary said she built a house and can afford to meet basic needs such as education for her children, thanks to the Family Package project.