The Rwandan districts of Nyamesheke and Rusizi in the Western Province remain some of the poorest in the country. In rural areas disability is not well understood and it is a sad fact that even if children with a disability complete school they find it impossible to find paid employment and hence a route to independence.

It is for this reason that Rwanda Action has built the Alivera Village which is designed to give these young people work experience prior to helping them to find employment or setting up their own enterprise projects.

The Alivera Village has two residential blocks for up to 32 young people with disabilities, five workshops, four shops, a cafe and a small farm and demonstration kitchen garden. There is also a spacious modern loo block which is open to the public and a large Rondavel for meetings and performances. The shops and workshops are let out to successful enterprise groups with the agreement that they provide work experience for an agreed number of young people with disabilities. Eight of the units are taken by local enterpise groups keen to support apprentices/ trainees with a disability.

There are opportunities for shoe-making, card-making, tailoring, knitting, hair-dressing, catering, office services, farming and gardening. Each young person with a disability stays at the village for a maximum of two years and is then given support to find paid employment or to set up their own business.

The ALMT funding is for the care costs and living expenses of 24 apprentices living in the village during the first year of the project along with a contribution to running costs of the farm and village overall. By the end of the first year Rwanda Actions is aiming for 12 young people with disabilities to gain employment in the community and two to go on to lead enterprise groups. Longer term the village aims to improve understanding and inclusion of young people with disabilities amongst the wider community.