Girimpuhwe AIDS Orphans

Year(s) of Partnership: 2008-Present

The Girimpuhwe AIDS Orphans Cooperative has 38 members, all of whom have lost one or both of their parents to AIDS. Eight percent are living with HIV, and a third are supporting HIV positive parents. The majority of members are young; the average age is 18.

Results: Before the beginning of the project, only 50% of Girimpuhwe members had health insurance (sold for less than $2 per year), an indication of extreme poverty. Girimpuhwe used their savings from the pin-making project to organize a savings and credit program, which began in the summer of 2009. Through the program, they have distributed thousands of dollars in loans and have saved enough money to cover health insurance for all members and to start a honey production project, as well to continue providing access to credit for members. Rwandan banks rarely give loans to young adults, so the savings and credit program started through FACE AIDS is critical and unique for Girimpuhwe's members.