Empowering Families and Communities

Wings of Hope for Africa Self-Sufficiency Programs

We support vulnerable families by developing education and co-operative projects to generate income, foster community building, and strengthen traditional methods of self-sufficiency through agriculture, or small business activities. With these programs, we create economic sustainability and growth, leading to reduced poverty while increasing quality of life.  One of our main goals is to break the cycle of poverty and create projects that foster economic sustainability and growth. We continually work on various projects in the most impoverished communities of Burundi.  

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Social Infrastructure and Economic Problems in Burundi

The long crisis that Burundi has experienced in last two decades has had a disastrous impact on all sectors of the country, resulting in: the increased impoverishment of the population, loss of the social and cultural underpinnings, destruction of several socioeconomic infrastructures as well as the weakening of the administration and the whole of the system of governance of the country.

In the community of Buterere, Burundi, 70% of adults are illiterate and families are living well below the poverty line, existing on less than $1 a day. Women and girls are subject to sexual abuse and prostitution. Many of the men and male youth often resort to begging, as well as scavenging for food and materials which causes public health problems. Buterere is also a center for refugees from neighboring countries. 80% of the population is unable to access clean drinking water and less than 5% are able to practice good hygiene such as hand washing. 

Under such circumstances, there’s a great urgency for humanitarian aid and self-sufficiency development in Buterere and the rest of the country. 

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Wings of Hope for Africa Skill Training Centre

We are expanding to Kigali, the capital and largest city of Rwanda. The project is a learning centre located in the district of Muhima, where Wings of Hope for Africa’s team will teach participants basic literacy skills. It will also run courses on small business and self-sufficiency. We acquired five sewing machines and other necessary materials. Other courses will be developed that may best support future employment. Families will pass their knowledge every three months onto the next participating families. This training will help them secure work or start their own business so they can break the cycle of poverty.

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Self Sufficiency through Small Business Projects

Our self-sufficiency and small business education extends to manufacturing projects.  Our brick making program runs from July to September each year, with the participants creating traditional bricks and selling them at the market to create income.  The participants are learning to cooperate with each other on the project and are building strong community relationships.  So far we have helped 20 families and plan to run the project again in 2016.

Self Sufficiency through Community Gardening

In 2013, Wings of Hope for Africa launched the Community Garden – an agricultural project supporting dozens of families Buterere, Burundi.  Over a two-year period, the project provided tools, seeds, and trained 30 families to grow crops. 

With the generous help our our sponsors, we were able to expand this project into other sites.  In January 2016, we purchased a 1 hectare plot in the community of Kivumu, Burundi. This community garden supports 70 families per year in 2 growing phases, and is an ongoing and sustainable program made possible by our purchase of the permanent site for the project.  Our self-sufficiency model is designed so that the participants pass training and a portion of the crop seeds to next families.  We’ve had much success with the first season in 2016 – the plot yielded over 6,000 lbs of potatoes.  We are actively looking for funding to expand and replicate this program into more sites.

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Immediate Relief Projects and Family Sponsorship

Our individual family sponsorships focus on providing immediate relief.  With the help of our sponsors, we donate grain, beans, rice, and other basics, where the food can be consumed and surplus sold at the market to generate income.   We also donate livestock, such as goats, which provide milk and nourishment, and are bred among participating families to multiply and sustain the benefit.

How do your donations help?

Livestock donation is an efficient method of promoting immediate relief and long-term sustainability.  For example, a donation of only $50 is sufficient to purchase one goat. The goats produce milk, providing essential nutrients for growing children. The families ensure sustainability of the donation by breeding their goat – each animal can be bred twice per year and produces two to three offspring each time. Therefore, the benefit of one goat quickly multiplies. The sale of the offspring allows participants to pay for other necessities like housing, health, food and schooling. 

Please donate and help us do more

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Our donations are processed by ATB Cares, a secure platform for donating and fundraising online. Donations made by Canadian taxpayers are tax deductible, and a receipt will be issued automatically.  If you have any questions about your donation please contact us at info@wingsofhopeforafrica.ca

We’re a registered charity dedicated to family welfare, empowering communities & developing self-sufficiency programs to end poverty in Burundi and Rwanda, East Africa, and in Calgary, Canada.

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Contact

152 Skyview Point Green NE
Calgary, Alberta
T3N 0G9
Canada

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