This project will provide psychosocial and economic support to Rwandan communities. A high number of community members were seriously affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. In the post-genocide Rwanda, psychosocial problems are easily regenerated due to a sense of uncertainty people experience and the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19. Community members, including women and girls, will be supported through sociotherapy as well as receiving assistance to support their socio-economic initiatives.
During this COVID-19 crisis and the general lockdown that followed, community members in Rwanda have experienced a significant decrease in their socio-economic wellbeing. It has been hard for them to do income-generating activities, and this led to new stressors in their daily life. In addition to that, the very limited contact people can now have with neighbors, family members, and friends, affects their psychosocial wellbeing, and this again regenerates feelings of past trauma.
CBS Rwanda will provide psychosocial support through the community-based sociotherapy approach to 100 groups in the community. The approach focuses on bringing together people in the community with different socio-historical backgrounds. Thereafter the groups will be supported with their socio-economic activities, including saving and loan initiatives, agriculture, and group entrepreneurship. They will receive capacity building and coaching by a professional and can apply for seed funding.
We will reach over 1500 kids community members who will participate in 15 sociotherapy sessions. Participating in these sessions leads to improved psychosocial wellbeing and allows participants to (re-)build meaningful relationships with others. Thus participants will continue to interact which ultimately will strengthen the level social cohesion at community level. Their self-initiated socio-economic activities will support them in their economic development and overcoming the COVID-19 effects
