Encouraging Fathers’ Roles in Rwanda
It is early evening in the Nyabihu district of western Rwanda. John Niyitegeka is at home, playing hide-and-seek with his daughter, Isheja, in their living room. John tells her: “It’s your turn, go and hide,” and he looks for his daughter behind the curtains. When he sees her, they hug, and he says, “I see you, I win.” Isheja’s mother, Olive Mukabarora, is in their backyard preparing dinner.
This deep connection of love, learning, protection and support between John and his daughter has strengthened in the last few months. This change began when he joined a fathers’ support group organized by Catholic Relief Services as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Gikuriro Kuri Bose project. The group was created to empower fathers with the skills and knowledge to support their families and contribute to their children’s nutrition while encouraging male engagement in gender equality.
John Niyitegeka and his daughter, Isheja Teta Ornella, at their home in Nyabihu, Rwanda. John is a member of a fathers’ support group initiated by the USAID Gikuriro Kuri Bose project in his village.
Photo by Fred Hirwa/CRS
In late 2022, the Gikuriro Kuri Bose project conducted a gender study that revealed both men and women caring for their children contributes to a child’s brain development, early learning, and emotional and social growth.
The same analysis highlighted the critical role of fathers in promoting the growth, development and learning of their children. Since then, the Gikuriro Kuri Bose project has formed more than 620 father support groups in 10 districts to help men better understand their key role in their family’s nutrition and general well-being.
John says he faced the typical challenges of many fathers in his community. He struggled to get enough time to help his wife with home responsibilities and to be with their daughter. He realized he was not prioritizing family needs.
“I used to get money and finish it all on personal needs and leisure,” John recalls.
His absence at home and lack of financial planning left his wife bearing the brunt of caregiving and household management.
Then, in January 2023, John was introduced to the fathers’ support group, which marked a turning point in his own and his family’s life. In the group, he and other fathers learned how to better support their families, caring and providing for their children and, later, they were introduced to the concept of saving. Starting with just $1 a week, John and his fellow group members gradually increased their individual weekly savings to $2. The collective effort enabled members to access loans, which John used to purchase livestock and invest in farming supplies like seeds and fertilizers.
“The first sheep I bought gave birth, and I sold the lambs,” John says. “I was able to reinvest in my farming activities and support my family.”
Today, his livestock continues to grow, offering his family a sustainable source of income.
Joining the fathers’ support group also transformed John’s approach to parenting and family life.
“Before, I left all the baby care work to my wife,” he says. “But now I help. When she’s cooking dinner, I play with the baby. After work, I wash up, take care of the livestock, and we discuss our family’s plans.”
This newfound partnership has brought significant improvements to their household. The family now saves together, pays rent on time, and ensures their daughter has essentials like milk, porridge and baby lotion. They’ve even started saving to build their own house.
Olive, John’s wife, says she has also embraced the change. She actively participates in monitoring her daughter’s growth, proudly noting that her baby gains 2.2 pounds every month. Through the Village Nutrition School, organized by the Gikuriro Kuri Bose project, Olive has learned to prepare nutritious meals and continues to breastfeed, ensuring her daughter’s healthy development.
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The Gikuriro Kuri Bose project is a five-year USAID-funded program to improve the health, functioning, nutritional status, and well-being of women of reproductive age and children under age 6. It emphasizes the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, strengthens the inclusion of children and adults with disabilities, and improves positive parenting and child development. The project is implemented by a consortium led by Catholic Relief Services in 10 districts of Rwanda. The Gikuriro Kuri Bose project’s formation of father support groups promoted joint decision-making, financial stability and gender equity in families while also strengthening families to create a foundation for healthier, more prosperous communities.
