The United Nations Agency in Rwanda (UNHCR Rwanda) organized a training workshop for legal representatives of refugee organizations from September 24 to 26.
FMV actively participated as one of the “RLOs” (Refugee-led Organization), i.e. “an organization or group in which refugees, displaced people, returnees, in short people with direct experience of forced displacement play a primary leadership role”.
Nearly thirty RLOs were represented at the training workshop, including Spirit of Peace and Solidarity (SPS ), Women Rise for Change (WRC), Rwandan Social Activists for Inclusive Development (RSAID), Ensemble pour l’Auto Développement Économique et Sociale (EADES), Green & Fresh Food, Radio Peace Fm, Back-Born Farm, Refugee Protection Association, Umoja ni nguvu, DUFASHANYE and Mouvement INAMAHORO.
At the end of the workshop, UNHCR expected the following results:
- Development of a roadmap outlining the process of formalizing the RLO network, with a focus on transforming small businesses into refugee-led organizations through committed social impact initiatives.
- Formulation of a comprehensive strategic plan that aligns the objectives of the RLO network with those of its partners, ensuring coherent and effective collaboration.
- Establishment of a leadership structure for the RLO network, delineating roles and responsibilities to optimize organizational governance and operational efficiency.
- Draft Terms of Reference (TOR) for the network’s leadership structure, specifying the leadership mandate and outlining key responsibilities to guide future initiatives and decision-making processes.
The UNHCR Representative in Rwanda, Ms. Aissatou Ndiaye, praises the contributions of these NGOs to the resilience and development of target and host communities.
The Ministry in charge of refugees, MINEMA, was represented throughout the training.
Emmanuel Karabayanga pointed out that refugees are no longer the burden on the back of the host government, but rather essential partners in the life of the host country and community. “Trade, business, the job market, taxes paid, schooling for children, help for the needy, … all this benefits everyone,” he said. He reiterated the Rwandan government’s commitment to supporting all refugee initiatives.
UNHCR partners also took part in the workshop: Prison Fellowship Rwanda and Inkomoko.
These refugee organizations then formed a common structure to facilitate communication and engagement between themselves and key partners such as UNHCR and the host government.
This consortium is now chaired by Ensemble pour l’Auto Développement Économique et Sociale-EADES. The “Forum pour la Mémoire Vigilante, FMV” was elected to the position of advisor on the supreme body. FMV promised to share with the platform its expertise in the fields of mental health, leadership, non-violent communication, peace education, theater, energy and environmental protection.
Invited to close the workshop, the MINEMA representative thanked UNHCR for its good collaboration with MINEMA and congratulated the RLOs present, encouraging them to move forward in investing refugees in social impact activities.
These NGOs were called upon to scrupulously follow the new law on NGOs in Rwanda, especially article 10, which encourages these organizations to be profit-oriented or commercial, but that income from these commercial activities “must be strictly used in activities relating to the objectives of the organizations”, to avoid illicit financing, terrorism or any other criminal enterprise.