Msaada Development Agency
The Msaada development agency was established in England in 2005 to help the people of Rwanda to restore their dignity and their livelihoods that were destroyed during the horrific genocide in 1994 by establishing self-help income-generating projects. It funds agricultural projects that assist widows and orphans of the genocide to become self-sufficient. Msaada supports profit-making projects run by the Rwandans themselves, that fund a range of physical and psychological care and legal advice to widows and orphans still suffering from injustice and trauma after the dreadful events of 1994, and, primary, secondary, vocational, and university education for children who were orphaned by the genocide and who have no means of support.
Msaada involves the people themselves in solving their own problems and is guided by their capacity, skills, experience, and vision. Msaada enables families to make their own decisions on rebuilding their lives and in their fight for justice and against crushing poverty. Through Msaada’s school’s exchange program, they encourage understanding and co-operation between the youth of the UK and Rwanda, as well as raising awareness among communities in the UK of the evils of genocide and how they can assist those who have suffered it to overcome the dreadful consequences.
Msaada works with local organizations, AVEGA, a self-help widows’ and orphans’ association, and SURF, the Survivors’ Fund. Msaada’s Projects include The Subiruseke Vocational Training Centre. The charity funds the school to rehabilitate four widows’ homes each year that are in a poor condition. The trainees gain invaluable practical building experience. Msaada has also funded a youth recreational center at the school.
Msaada supports over 70 students with bursaries to attend The Excel Bilingual School, a local initiative, started by parents and teachers, to provide quality education with the emphasis on a high standard of English and French, to all the children of the Kigabiro Sector, without reference to ethnicity. Msaada is assisting over 100 young people to attend local state primary and secondary school. Msaada has paid for the construction of a science laboratory at Rwamagana Secondary School to improve the quality of education available to students there. The laboratory, while basic by Western standards, is the most modern facility of its kind in Rwandan schools. Msaada has also paid for audiovisual equipment at the school to enhance the educational experience.
Msaada assists with the running of a computer training center for young people to improve their computing skills at AVEGA Est. The Count D’Angerville Honeybee Project provides some 60 families in Nyarabuye with beehives to enable them to earn an income from the production of honey and wax. The project provides families with modern high-yielding hives which produce some 35kg of honey a year each. As well as providing
vitally important income, the bees also pollinate surrounding plants and crops increasing the yield for the entire community. Following the genocide, thousands of elderly people were left without any family, with horrific injuries, and unable to fend for themselves. Following heartrending pleas from AVEGA, Msaada agreed to provide the funds to sustain a number of these elderly disabled.
What people are saying about Msaada:
“I commend you on the outstanding work being done by Msaada. It may seem a drop in the ocean in a situation where there is great need but to those who benefit, your help is a Godsend.”– Archbishop Desmond Tutu
“Msaada’s extraordinary work is bringing a life-force of hope and stability to one of the most damaged societies on Earth. I give them all my admiration and support.” – Joanna Lumley, Actress
“We who care about what happened in Rwanda in 1994 owe it to those unfortunate people to let them know that some of us are willing to share their pain and to do something meaningful to help address it.” – Fergal Keane, Msaada founder
For more information, please contact:-
Msaada Development Agency
Website: www.msaada.org
