For many adolescent mothers in rural Rwanda, early pregnancy is followed by rejection, stigma and poverty, conditions that make the prospect of rebuilding a life particularly complex. Yet, within this reality, pathways of recovery are emerging through community-based initiatives that combine psychosocial care, education and economic inclusion.
In Gatsibo and Gicumbi districts, AVSI Rwanda, in partnership with Support International, is implementing the project Humura Shenge, within the initiative “Restoring the Resilience of Adolescent Mothers in Rwanda”. The programme targets adolescent mothers aged 12 to 19 and their children, working to strengthen psychological, social and economic resilience after early pregnancy and motherhood.
The intervention brings together different dimensions of accompaniment. Psychosocial counselling and life-skills training are combined with family mediation, savings groups and small income-generating activities. Alongside this, engagement with schools, local authorities and community leaders aims to reduce stigma and promote a more supportive social environment for adolescent mothers.
At community level, local authorities in Kabarore Sector described a slow but visible shift in attitudes. Vocational training and access to small income-generating activities are enabling many adolescent mothers to regain confidence and contribute to household needs, while efforts continue to support the civil registration of their children..
Seventeen-year-old Uwishimwe Divine became pregnant at 15 and was forced to leave her family home. She initially faced isolation and uncertainty about the future. After joining the project, she began to access psychosocial sessions and entrepreneurship training, which supported a gradual rebuilding of confidence.
“When I joined the project, I learned about the value of life and self-love,” she said. “Before, I felt like my life was over after giving birth. Now, I feel hopeful again.”
Today, she cares for her two-year-old son and runs a small doughnut business. Through a local savings group, she contributes weekly and can access small loans during periods of need. The activity provides a modest but steady contribution to household expenses and has become part of a broader process of economic stabilization. Equally significant, she has re-established relationships within her family and returned to live in a more stable environment.
Another participant, 16-year-old Emelyne, also experienced early pregnancy and family separation. She describes a period marked by isolation and uncertainty, followed by gradual recovery through participation in the Humura Shenge project.
She is currently engaged in small-scale activities such as goat rearing and avocado sales through informal arrangements with local producers. These activities, combined with participation in savings groups, contribute to building financial discipline and reinforcing peer solidarity among adolescent mothers.
Across these experiences, a gradual process of recovery is visible. Through psychosocial support and access to income-generating opportunities, adolescent mothers involved in Humura Shenge are gradually rebuilding confidence and strengthening their ties within families and communities. Their trajectories show the lasting impact of early vulnerability, alongside new paths that emerge through shared experiences and community engagement.
