On Wednesday 25, Siddhartha Kaul, the president of SOS Children’s Villages International, paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente at the latter's office in Kimihurura, where he underscored his organisation's commitment to provide Rwandan youths with skills that will make them more relevant on the job market.

The SOS International president said that this will be done through vocational trainings.

"We have a lot of experience in vocational training and we’re willing to share that knowledge with young people for them to be able to get jobs, as the government of Rwanda is investing a lot of efforts in these trainings”, said Kaul.

With 40 years of experience, SOS also proposed to lend a hand inthe reintegration of street children in families for them to have a better future.

Kaul added: "We also discussed how we can work together to provide skills and possibilities for vulnerable children abandoned by their families to have a chance at a better life through being helped to inteegrate in society.”

Siddhartha Kaul-President of SOS Children’s Villages International speaks to media. Sam Ngendahimana

SOS milestone in Rwanda

Solina Nyirahabimana, the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, said that SOS has for the past 40 years forged a good working relationship with government.

Since 1979, Nyirahabimana said, SOS has worked with the government of Rwanda, and contributed a lot towards giving shelter and care to children orphaned by the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi. 

"They have also worked well with government in the promotion of child rights  through education and recreation”, said Nyirahabimana.

This Non-profit organization, which on September 24th celebrated its 40th anniversary in Rwanda has so far helped 2,937 young people and supported 5,138 families through their family strengthening programme as a means to promote the rights of children.