INARA Legal Aid Services

On Wednesday, the Global Youth Connect volunteers, in conjunction with INALAS staff, visited the Espérance Program “Football for Hope.” Espérance aims to “support the peace building process in the Great Lakes region and to strengthen the inner Rwandan reconciliation.” The Football for Hope program aims to use the power of sports to promote psychological and social healing for youth who have suffered from traumatic experiences in the past. Created by youth in Kigali, the program unifies young adults to engage in sporting and other activities (such as theatre) to create a positive environment to foster hope and progress for the future.

During the visit, GYC and INALAS met with the manager of Football for Hope, Victor Sevyabama, and Jeon de Dieu Karera, the communications officer. This meeting gave us an insight into the history and objectives of the program. We were then invited for a short tour of the facility, including the superb turf field where the youth engaged in sporting activities on a daily basis.

It is easy to observe the impact that this program has on the community of young people who are able to use this space to learn, play, and grow.

On Tuesday, INALAS Coordinator and Head Legal Representative Jean-Claude Rwibasira, staff members Gilbert and Yvette, in conjunction with the current Global Youth Connect volunteers, visited the Gisimba Memorial Centre. INALAS is the August 2012 main partner for GYC’s Human Rights Program in Rwanda, and the two organizations have spent many days together in the past two weeks, in a partnership to protect human rights here in Rwanda and globally. The volunteers were eager to engage with staff at INALAS to learn more about the work that they do on a daily basis to provide legal services to marginalized populations throughout Rwanda, based in their office in Kigali. 

The volunteers spent the morning on Tuesday discussing two pending cases that INALAS has undertaken on behalf of two residents of the Centre. After an intense discussion regarding the background facts and legal precedents which are pertinent in the cases, GYC volunteers Gisele Uwamiarya, Adam Moscoe, Emily Verburg, and Kelsey Rogers traveled with INALAS staff members to the Centre, where we were graciously received by Ildephonse. Our meeting was incredibly productive, as Jean-Claude followed up on the details of the two cases for which he has prepared court submissions for. We received positive news on the progression of these two cases, and Ildephonse answered the questions of the GYC volunteers concerning the structure, activities, and daily happenings at the Centre. Also discussed included the new policy of the government of Rwanda to place all current orphans in homes with Rwandan families, and to eventually close all Centres like Gisimba that currently provide housing, health care, and education to these children and young adults. The meeting provided an in-depth look at the lives of the residents at Gisimba, as well as an interactive and engaging discussion on current policy.

After the meeting, the GYC delegate volunteers were taken on a brief tour around the Centre, where we were shown the living quarters and facilities used by the Gisimba residents. We concluded with a discussion of a possible new case which Jean-Claude and his team at INALAS may have the opportunity to contribute to in the future. 

The GYC volunteers received a thorough and comprehensive look at laws currently affecting orphaned youth in Rwanda, and it was contextualized during the visit to Gisimba Center. We wish to thank all the staff and youth we interacted with at Gisimba for their generosity and willingness to share their stories and thoughts.