Umutoniwase, 19, is a mother of a two-year-old child and has spent the last decade in Kigeme Refugee Camp located in Nyamagabe District of Rwanda. Before she got pregnant at the age of 17, Umutoniwase’s family situation was difficult. Her parents, both refugees from DR Congo, had to care for her and her siblings with limited resources.

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Umutoniwase’s parents were initially disappointed and frustrated when they found out she was pregnant and felt like she had added to their already daunting burden. Not only did she have to drop out of school, but also the prospect of having to provide for yet another human being in a refugee camp seemed almost impossible. However, things took a turn for the better when Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA) intervened.

AHA is a pan-African international non-governmental organisation that provides effective humanitarian relief and recovery, as well as advocacy services to communities affected by war, poverty, hunger, and natural disasters.

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AHA with the support of UNFPA/KOICA provided Umutoniwase with the help she needed to get back on her feet. By renting a plot of land she started pig farming and also received startup cash to buy pigs and pay for a security person to look after the domestic animal. This income-generating project provided her with a source of income to take care of her baby and support her family whenever possible.

Through family counselling that AHA provides, Umutoniwase was able to reconcile with her parents. They came to understand that her situation had been challenging, and she needed their support and care.

Two years later, Umutoniwase returned to school and opened an account with Sacco Indatwa Kibilizi, which allows her to save for the future.

Umutoniwase is just one of many that AHA has supported in Rwanda since its founding in 1994. A significant number of vulnerable refugees particularly young mothers have received life-skill training on reproductive health, tailoring, sweater production, and hairdressing to enable them to earn money.

In partnership with the Government of Rwanda, UNHCR, UNFPA, KOICA, WFP, and other non-governmental organisations, AHA has been implementing Critical Primary Healthcare, referral, Nutrition, HIV/AIDS prevention and control, and ASRH (Adolescent Sexual & Reproductive Health)/SGBV (Sexual and Gender-Based Violence) projects in various refugee camps (Kigeme, Kiziba & Mugombwa); Transit & Reception Centres, (Gashora, Kijote Nyanza & Nyarushishi) & Urban refugees, (Huye & Kigali) in Rwanda.

AHA’s community-based approach to preventing common diseases, malnutrition, anaemia, HIV and STIs, and sexual and gender-based violence, has helped protect vulnerable refugees from the rampant negative effects of refugee life.

Overall, AHA has supported over 27 million people in 20 African countries; which they recognise on World Refugee Day, marked on June 20. The 2023 theme of World Refugee Day is "Hope away from home”.

Debritu (Bitu) Abebe, AHA Country Representative, said, "On this day, we celebrate the resilience and strength of the refugees we work with, who despite having faced unimaginable challenges, continue to fight for hope away from home.”

She highlighted that AHA is committed to working with other partners in the international community to support refugees and other vulnerable people in Africa.

In Rwanda, AHA’s work has been centered on offering a comprehensive primary health care delivery system, supported by a laboratory, well-trained personnel, good logistics management, a patient referral system, and effective surveillance of communicable diseases, which has enabled the smooth delivery of services in key areas such as reproductive and sexual health, HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria, amongst other things.

AHA reiterated its commitment to stay all-inclusive and make use of the diversity and resources of the people with whom it works. As well as stay guided by universal principles and values, such as upholding humanity, independence, impartiality, and neutrality.

As the world marks World Refugee Day, AHA would like to send a message of hope and support to all the refugees in Africa and beyond.

Recognising the limits of, and at times challenges to, its mandate to advocate adherence to humanitarian norms, alongside the wealth of experience in the international sphere, AHA is committed to partnering and collaborating with other actors in the international community in order to support its work.