Volunteers at the heart of AVSI Rwanda’s impact

AVSI Rwanda operates in eight districts, implementing projects in key sectors such as education, health, livelihoods, and social protection. Each year, AVSI Rwanda reaches more than 24,000 people, supporting them to build self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods. 

This impact is made possible by a network of more than 80 community volunteers who work closely with AVSI teams to reach the most vulnerable families. Among them, 62 experienced volunteers recently contributed to AVSI Rwanda’s Household Vulnerability Assessment Study, sharing their perspectives on what resilience means. Their reflections revealed that resilience is not only about financial stability or material assets, but also about confidence, knowledge, and strong social connections. 

Community volunteers are respected members of their neighborhoods, people chosen by their peers for their integrity, reliability, and leadership. Many of them were once participants in AVSI projects themselves. Having experienced personal transformation through these initiatives, they are now committed to guiding others along similar paths of growth and resilience. 

Selected during community gatherings and typically aged between 25 and 45, volunteers serve as true role models within their communities. Each volunteer is responsible for following up with around 20 families, conducting home visits on a weekly basis. These families usually live in the same village as volunteers or in neighboring villages. Since they do not receive a salary, volunteers balance their community service with other personal or professional activities. After completing their daily work, they dedicate time to visit families, usually one visit per week, totaling about four visits per month. 

During these visits, volunteers use a standardized monitoring form that helps them track families’ progress, evaluate changes, identify challenges, and highlight areas needing additional support. This structured follow-up allows them to measure achievements against set goals and ensure meaningful impact over time. 

Volunteers are not simply messengers; they are neighbors, mentors, and trusted partners. Their credibility stems from lived experience, while their effectiveness lies in empathy and proximity. 

To recognize their dedication and the effort they invest in supporting families, volunteers receive a modest facilitation fee known as “pay per performance,” which helps cover transportation and related expenses. Their service is formalized through an annually renewable contract with AVSI Rwanda, outlining their terms and responsibilities. 

Before beginning their work, all volunteers receive specific trainings to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed for their daily activities. This continuous capacity building ensures both the quality and sustainability of AVSI Rwanda’s interventions, as volunteers remain active change-makers within their communities long after a project end. 

What truly makes AVSI Rwanda’s approach so special is how deeply human and personal it is. Everything begins with listening. Rather than bringing ready-made solutions, AVSI takes the time to understand each family’s story their struggles, their dreams, and the potential they already carry within. 

And this connection happens through community volunteers people who live in the same villages as the families themselves. Because they share the same community, they are the first bridge between AVSI and the families, opening doors and hearts. 

Through these volunteers, AVSI learns what each family truly needs. It could be farming inputs for someone with land, a sewing machine for a mother with tailoring skills, or counseling and literacy classes for those facing emotional or social challenges. As one volunteer put it, “It’s a human approach we don’t do things for people; we do them with them.” 

This way of working helps families gain confidence, discover new abilities, and slowly take charge of their own progress. And perhaps the most inspiring part? Many of these volunteers were once participants themselves. Having walked the same path, they now stand beside others, guiding them toward the same transformation they once experienced. 

Marceline Ahobantegeye’s story reflects the power of this community-based approach. Her journey with AVSI Rwanda began in 2002, when she was supported through the Distance Support Program. Nearly two decades later, in 2021, she became a community volunteer in Ruhango sector, accompanying families on their own paths toward resilience. 

She recalls how volunteers once visited her regularly, giving her courage to move forward.

Today, Marceline offers that same support to others. She helps families establish kitchen gardens, join Village Savings and Loan Associations to afford Mutuelle de Santé (community health insurance), and improve food security through group farming. 

Volunteering has also transformed Marceline’s personal life. 

After facing personal challenges, including separation from her husband, Marceline learned to manage on her own. Through savings groups and farming activities, she has ensured that her children remain in school and her household stays secure. 

Of course, the work is not without challenges. “Sometimes families don’t follow the advice I give,” she admits. “But I choose to walk with them - and sometimes, we do the work together to encourage change.” 

Today, Marceline supports 18 families, and three have already graduated from the program. For her, the greatest reward is seeing families regain confidence and move toward independence. 

or AVSI Rwanda, graduation isn’t about a ceremony or a certificate. It’s about transformation. It marks the moment when a family has reached a level of stability and resilience that allows them to live independently, without relying on program support. It’s the ultimate goal of the journey every participant takes with AVSI Rwanda: achieving true self-reliance. 

This milestone is reached through AVSI Rwanda’s approach, which encourages participants to discover their inner strengths, understand who they are, and recognize the abilities they already possess. With consistent accompaniment and guidance, families gradually build confidence, learn to trust their own potential, and strengthen their resilience. 

AVSI Rwanda created a structured three-year pathway that helps families move step by step toward lasting independence. Those who demonstrate stability and resilience successfully graduate from the program ready to thrive on their own while those who still need support continue to receive close guidance until they are fully prepared to stand strong independently. 

AVSI Rwanda’s community volunteers are more than helpers - they are catalysts for change. Having walked the same paths as those they support, they lift others through guidance, empathy, and example. Their dedication shows that real and lasting transformation begins within communities themselves - when people are empowered to believe in their potential and act together toward a better future.