Rwanda Radio Project for Orphans
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Summary
Provide solar powered, wind-up Prime radios to orphaned families in Rwanda. Children can access practical information on disease prevention, increasing crop yields, and children’s rights and more.
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Received $18,311 from 351 donations from people like:
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More Information About this Project
Project Needs and Beneficiaries
As a result of conflict, HIV/AIDS and other diseases, there are tens of thousands of households in Rwanda headed by a child. These child-only families are the poorest of the poor. They have to fend for themselves with little financial or psycho-social support and eke out a living by subsistence farming. Our solar-powered and wind-up radios would provide these families with practical information they can use to improve their lives.
Activities
Our solar and wind-up Prime radios provide these vulnerable families with practical information on health, farming, children’s rights, animal care, current events and the news 24/7 – enabling them to make more informed choices and decisions.
Funding Information
This project has been retired and is no longer accepting donations.
Additional Documentation
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
Resources
Why this Project is Important
Potential Long Term Impact
These children are starved for practical information. With sustainable radio access, they will listen to local and international radio educational programmes whenever they want. The information gained will help improve the quality of their lives.
Project Message
“Having this beautiful radio has changed my life. I can listen to many programmes that help me to look after the children. I learn many things that a parent or teacher would tell me.â€
- Jeanette, 16, Head of her household in Rwanda
When this Project was Updated
Last Updated
This project was last updated on February 28, 2012.
Date Added to GlobalGiving
This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on June 15, 2004.
Latest Update from the Field
Jonathan receives new Prime radio
By Kristine Pearson - CEO, Lifeline Energy, August 19, 2011 12:31 PM

Jonathan, 18
Meet 18-year-old Jonathan, who has been the head of his household since his parents passed away when he was 11. Since then Jonathan has had to shoulder responsibilities that no child should have to bear. He looks after four younger siblings, who are all now in school. He has been known to Lifeline Energy since 2004 when he first received one of our radios. Since the previous one had worn out and he's demonstrated community and family leadership, we wanted to provide him with a Prime. Jonathan has always been generous about inviting neighbours to listen. There are about 20 neighbour children, mostly orphans, who are in his listening 'club'. They especially enjoy two radio dramas, Urunana - which deals with health issues - and Musekeweya - which is themed around peace and reconciliation. In addition, they like to discuss news and current events.
Jonathan will be graduating from secondary school next year and wants to become a doctor. He says: "So many people have helped me and I want to be able to help others. The light in my new radio will help me stay up late to study for exams."
Lifeline Energy has distributed more than 16,000 Prime and earlier model solar and wind-up radios in Rwanda. We have reached an estimated 300,000 listeners living in child and widow-headed households.

Jonathan, 11, with his sister.
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