Centre Marembo

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Centre Marembo is a non governmental organisation (NGO) and was founded in 2003 by three young women who have dedicated their time to improving the lives of children who lack essential resources. Centre Marembo opened its doors in 2003 to provide young street girls and boys with access to education, healthcare, safety and love. In 2012, their mission shifted towards focusing exclusively on the needs of women and girl’s and currently, they are the only organization in Kigali who support and shelter only girls.

What we do
Centre Marembo receives girls from the street that have been the victims of domestic and sexual violence. These girls are placed in one of the Centre’s two houses: Abatuje House and Harakeye House where they receive shelter, education, counseling and skills training.

Programs:
• Health and well-being focusing on psycho-socio and medical rehabilitation: Our consultation programs address issues arising from the girls’ traumatized experiences such as: serious emotional and mental health problems, very low self-esteem and self-confidence, malnutrition, and sexually transmitted diseases. The organization also supplies DNA testing to help determine the identity of their children.
• Formal education and vocational training: We provide access to formal education and vocational training. Centre Marembo also organizes literacy, numeracy, as well as cultural, music, and arts programs.
• Empowerment for sustainability and self-reliance in the future: We want our girls to regain their self-reliance in order to be confident and assertive in their relationships with others. Therefore we train and educate them in human rights and equality, reproductive health, family planning, and sexually transmitted diseases. Beyond that developing business plans and general understanding of management is to set up own income. We also provide support through the justice system.
• Social reintegration back into the community: Together with state agencies and community leaders, we aim to reintegrate our girls in their families and communities after the rehabilitation process. We also act to influence community leaders and policy makers to prevent and respond to gender based violence, child abuse, and neglect.
• Access to Justice: Since most of our beneficiaries are survivors of rape and other forms of violence, with the concerned public institutions we help them to access justice and regain lost dignity.

Nsabimana Nicolette is a Co-Founder & CEO of Centre Marembo.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.