For over 17 years, Centre Saint Vincent has been an institution housing children and adults with disabilities. But thanks to our team’s efforts, its residents will now be going Back to Family.
Located in the bustling urban hub of Musanze, regarded as one of Rwanda’s second cities, Centre St Vincent was established in 2007 by the Catholic Church. It is managed by the Sisters of Saint Vincent de Paul, and provides residential care for children and adults with disabilities.
But as part of Rwanda’s national childcare reform strategy – which Hope and Homes staff in the country have helped to shape – Centre St Vincent is now in the process of shutting down. And we’re getting the children and adults who were living there Back to Family.
“Through our support, these children can return home, regain their parents’ love and care, and access education and medical services while living with their loved ones. This holistic approach is immensely beneficial for both the children and their parents.”
– Case Manager, Hope and Homes for Children Rwanda
This reintegration into their families and communities aims to place all of Centre St Vincent’s residents in loving environments, ensuring they grow up in nurturing homes rather than institutions.
So far, of the 30 children and adults living at the centre, 23 of them have been successfully reunited with their families or placed in foster families. This process is being spearheaded by Hope and Homes for Children’s staff, in collaboration with the National Child Development Agency and the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, and is supported by funding from The Seneca Trust.
Happily, the transition away from keeping children in centre St Vincent has been met with strong support from the institution’s management, who have actively participated in discussions and preparations for reintegration, facilitated by district-level staff such as the Child Welfare Officer and the Disability Mainstreaming Officer.
The closure of the institution and the reintegration process is expected to conclude in full by June 2025.
Why we’re closing institutions like Centre St Vincent
No matter how well it’s run, an institution is no place for a child to grow up. Children need to grow up in safe, loving, stable environments – and it’s impossible for an orphanage or other care institution to provide this.
In fact, while they’re living in an institution, children are much more likely to experience physical and emotional harm.
And of the 5.4 million children who are currently living in institutions around the world, 80% of them have family they could be living with if they had the right support.
“From our experience, many children and young persons with disabilities are brought to these institutions by parents seeking access to services such as education and healthcare, which these institutions claim to provide. Unfortunately, this often results in the children becoming institutionalised and losing contact with their families.”
– Case Manager, Hope and Homes for Children Rwanda
There’s now a growing awareness among the general public and the organisations which fund orphanages that these institutions do far more harm than good.
So we’re working with partners all across the world to close institutions and redirect the money that funds them into getting children Back to Family.
