Thanks to the tireless work and dedication of our Rwanda team, and the support from people like you, Cigy* is now back with her mother, Mutoni*.
When Cigy was born with disabilities, Mutoni did everything she could to support her daughter. She worked hard and took Cigy to nearby health facilities for care. But the pressure was immense, and her husband rejected Cigy completely. Mutoni’s marriage ended, and she moved in with her mother, who helped her with Cigy and her two other young children.
Tragedy struck when Mutoni’s mother died, and local people convinced Mutoni to send Cigy to a residential institution for children with disabilities. Mutoni was heartbroken to send her daughter away, but she believed it was the best possible thing for her child.
Life in the orphanage was grim. Cigy was severely neglected and lived in appalling conditions. Instead of playing with other children, she was bedbound and unable to move. “When I visited her,” Mutoni says, “the stink was so overwhelming that I couldn’t stay inside.”
Mutoni desperately wanted Cigy back with her family, but she feared she would be unable to provide the care her daughter needed. Our team stepped in to provide advice, emotional support, and practical help so the family felt confident in caring for Cigy once she returned.
To ensure the family had a stable foundation, we bought them a home, giving them security and dignity. We also helped Mutoni start her own business selling clothes, which increased the family’s income and financial independence.
We arranged regular physiotherapy sessions for Cigy, which began an incredible transformation. Within just three months of leaving the orphanage, she had gained 10 kilograms, regained the use of her hands and upper body, and had begun to dance and respond to signals and sounds again.
“You not only brought my daughter back to me – you gave us a home, a way to survive, and the strength to live again as a family.”
Mutoni, Cigy’s mum
Today, Cigy is thriving with the protection and care only a loving family can provide. “She looks like the child I remember before she was placed in the institution,” Mutoni says. Richard Munyaneza, Safeguarding Coordinator at Hope and Homes for Children Rwanda, recalls, “When I first met Mutoni, she was very sad and unsure if she could care for Cigy. Now, seeing her happy and Cigy enjoying life with her family is amazing. It shows how much can change with the right support.”
Photo credit: Richard Munyaneza/Hope and Homes for Children
*To ensure the safety and privacy of the people we support, the names of the children and relatives featured in this story have been changed.
