The waiting room is now ready and waiting (pun intended!) to receive people. Next up? The counseling room. This room is one of the most important in the whole office. “What we do here is to provide psycho-social support. We want the clients to feel comfortable as they sit with us and express their feelings,” said Chantel from the ARC team. To improve the counseling room we added new rugs, wall art, and most importantly, curtains. Curtains sound obvious, but unfortunately many counseling spaces in these settings don’t have them. Yet they’re so important to the privacy of our clients. We want them to peace of mind, to feel valuable, to feel safe and secure. The improved space helps our patients open up and begin to heal. We have a deep belief that everyone – no matter who or where they are – deserves a thoughtful and dignified place to find peace. With a better counseling room, we're one step closer. … [Read more...] about Open Doors

On Day 196 we stripped the interior of the counseling room clean. Now it’s time to build it back up! First, we had to install the walls. The walls will segment the building into six different rooms. The first doable room was the waiting room. When you come to receive counseling services, you might be a little nervous. This is where human touches become key. Our goal is to make clients feel at ease and at home while they wait…here’s how! We installed a TV to play informational material. While clients are waiting, they can learn and hear new ways to thinking. Comfortable chairs were installed and a rug was added to create a home-like feel. “This is a space where survivors feel comfortable and at home,” said Chantel from the ARC team. The waiting room, the first impression for our clients, was looking top notch! Now we’re turning to the most important space…the counseling rooms themselves. … [Read more...] about Improving the Wait

In Kigeme, we provide counseling and protection services for refugees who have experienced trauma. Some of these individuals have gone through very challenging circumstances. And when anyone visits us, we want to be sure to provide the very best service we can. Our team was qualified for the task - but our counseling space was not. So we set out on a journey to improve this space! First thing first, we had to tear everything down...Walls, floors, paint, plumbing, and electricity. It all had to go. This tear down was just the beginning. Next, it’s time to build things back up. … [Read more...] about Extreme Makeover – Counseling Room Edition

Our team in Rwanda hosts a lot of events. They can be video screenings, sports, or just simple announcements. Being part of community and visibility is so important. And our teammates found one doable way they could do even more...a tent. In the rainy season, the weather can really prevent others from coming to our porgrams. No one wants to sit in the rain to watch a game or hear a presentation, not to mention the risk of sickness from prolonged weather exposure. This was the perfect job for 365, a small change that can make such a big impact! With this tent, our teams can now have events any day of the year! They can ditch the umbrellas and feel confident that rain or shine, they'll be able to gather, grow, and share with the people they serve. … [Read more...] about Gathering Together

There's nothing like live theater. It has the power to tell stories, make social commentary, bring people together. In Mugwamba Refugee Camp, there is a local drama club that's achieving all these things, sharing their passion while giving back to the community at the same time. We knew that after the volleyball tournament there would be a large diverse crowd at the finish. What a perfect time to let the drama club share their skills! All they needed was a small PA system, some chairs, and a tent. And voila! The stage was set. These talented actors shared their beautiful gift with their community, and drove an important message home - violence against anyone is never the answer. As they performed, one viewer said, “It’s true, what happened here is exactly what happens in some of the families.” The message resonated with her, and that there was a need for change. Doing the doable can be as simple as providing a space and audience for actors with an important message … [Read more...] about Center Stage

In Mugombwa Refugee Camp, volleyball is a staple game for youth. The court is at the center of everything, so it also makes for the perfect place for people to stop by and catch a game! With so many people coming and going, we thought this also might be the perfect spot to raise awareness about one of the issues we work on in Mugombwa - preventing violence against women and children. Not only is the game a beloved pastime, but these are important issues that need to be addressed. So, we organized a tournament - complete with brand new jerseys for the teams! Everyone from young children to seniors came out to show their support. As the game progressed, our team lead, Chantel, presented important information and helped raise awareness with the community. “This is a very good campaign because while they pass messages about violence prevention and early pregnancy, they get to watch the game and it’s exciting!” said one of the participants. Chantel even got the crowd … [Read more...] about Ready, Set, Spike!

Kigeme refugee camp is very much like a little community. People have each other's backs. Especially the Community Activists. The CAs help us do our work better. They know the ins and outs of the neighborhoods and know the leaders of each group. They themselves are leaders, and people come to them for advice. Because they're always doing so much for others, we wanted to do something for them - a small gift to light their way as they light up the community. Enter Watts of Love solar lamps! With a little extra light, the CAs will be able to walk around and serve more easily, even after the sun has gone down. The hilly terrain of Kigeme can make it dangerous to navigate in the dark. These lights will take the guess work out of walking! It's tough to imagine just how very dark it can get in Kigeme when the sun goes down. But when it does, the darkness is complete. With solar lamps in hand, these community activists will get where they're going with a little more … [Read more...] about A Light in Kigeme

In Kigeme Refugee Camp in Rwanda, every year there is a community football tournament. Many teams participate for a shot at the glory of taking home first place! Crowds gather all around the football pitch to catch a glimpse of the big game. This year we wanted to make it a little different. We surprised the last two teams by showing up with new jerseys and soccer balls! A small change to make their hard work pay off and make the game that much more special. The teams chose yellow and red jerseys. And there was SO much excitement as we passed out the jerseys. They felt like a true team, like the champions and heroes that they watch on T.V.. Both teams played well but the red team took home the victory! We held a small ceremony celebrating both teams for their hard work and making it to the final round. We discussed the importance of being a leader in the community both on and off of the field, and how they have the power to take change into their own hands, too. … [Read more...] about Like a Team