Evariste, tending to his field behind his shop
and house. |
Outside Kigali, a small storefront business is run from the home of 20-year-old
Evariste and his 17-year-old sister, Christine. The dirt floor is swept clean,
and tomatoes, potatoes, sacks of grain, and batteries are assembled neatly
on the shelves. A handwritten sign says, "All loans tomorrow" (one-day
loans only), evidencing Evariste's business acumen. The house and shelves
were built by Evariste's group, and paper cut-outs hang from the ceiling
as decorations from the store's inauguration.
"When Giving Hope staff made us meet other children, we got new friends we hadn't known before," says Evariste. "We created our group and selected our advisors, and were then called to a training on creating a small business. I was asked to develop a proposal and to think of an idea. Because I was told I must do this on my own, I discovered I had initiative. And now I am respected in my community -- they are my customers! And they are neighborly, they come to visit me, as do those friends from my group."
Evariste's last point reflects the isolation previously felt by the children. AIDS still carries a big stigma, and no one says outright that someone has died of AIDS. Through trainings and skits on health and hygiene, the young people learn how HIV is and isn't transmitted.