Introduction: A Transformative Approach to Development

The Dukore Twigire Project (DTP) represents a paradigm shift in how humanitarian aid and development interact in Rwanda. Designed as a transformative initiative, the project aims to move beyond short-term relief to establish improved, diversified, and sustainable livelihoods for Forcibly Displaced Populations (FDP) and their host communities. In a context where refugees often rely on external aid for survival, DTP offers a different horizon: a pathway to independence, dignity, and economic stability.

Funded by the European Union (Directorate General International Partnerships – DG INTPA), this initiative is brought to life by a consortium of three distinguished organizations: World Vision International (lead), Caritas Rwanda, and the Rwanda Organization for Development Initiatives (RODI). The project aligns with the Global Compact for Refugees and the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), aiming to ease pressure on host countries and enhance refugee self-reliance. By ensuring that refugees and host communities are included in national planning and development, the project fosters an environment where displaced persons can contribute meaningfully to the local economies of the communities that host them.

Background and Strategic Implementation in Nyamagabe

While the broader Dukore Twigire Project targets four refugee camps across Rwanda (Kigeme, Kiziba, Mugombwa, and Nyabiheke) with a total target of 2,133 households, the implementation is decentralized to ensure maximum local impact. Within this consortium, RODI holds the specific mandate to implement the project in the Southern Province, focusing exclusively on the Kigeme refugee camp and its surrounding host communities in Nyamagabe District.

RODI’s Specific Mandate: Building Bridges in Nyamagabe

RODI’s intervention is precise and community-focused. We are responsible for supporting 582 households in Nyamagabe. Recognizing that sustainable development cannot happen in isolation, the project structure promotes social cohesion by targeting both refugees and Rwandan locals side-by-side. The beneficiary breakdown is intentional:

• 407 Refugee Households (70%): Selected from within the Kigeme camp to address high levels of vulnerability.
• 175 Host Community Households (30%): Selected from the surrounding Rwandan neighborhoods to ensure inclusivity and shared prosperity.

The Ultra-Poor Graduation (UPG) Model

The project’s strategy is grounded in the globally recognized Ultra-Poor Graduation (UPG) model. This evidence-based approach is designed to guide the poorest households out of extreme poverty within a specific timeframe. The goal is ambitious yet achievable: to ensure that at least 70% of the targeted participants graduate from extreme poverty by the end of the project. “Graduation” in this context means a household has achieved food security, stabilized income, and the resilience to withstand economic shocks without falling back into destitution.

The Four Pillars of the Project

To achieve these graduation targets, the Dukore Twigire Project employs a holistic, sequenced package of support anchored on four integrated pillars. These pillars work in tandem to address the multidimensional nature of poverty.

1. Social Protection

The first step toward self-reliance is stability. Vulnerable families cannot plan for the future if they are struggling to survive the present. The Social Protection pillar includes preventive, protective, and promotive mechanisms to establish basic income security.

• Key Interventions: This involves consumption support (stipends) to meet immediate daily needs, crisis relief for emergencies, and facilitating access to National Health Insurance (Mutuelle de Santé) and education services. This pillar ensures that participants have the physical and mental bandwidth to engage in economic activities.

2. Livelihood Promotion

Once basic security is established, the focus shifts to economic growth. The Livelihood Promotion pillar ensures regular and diverse income streams for households, enabling asset accumulation and economic empowerment, with a special emphasis on women.

• Key Interventions: RODI facilitates asset or cash transfers to help families launch viable small businesses or agricultural ventures. This is coupled with rigorous technical and business skills training. Furthermore, the project creates linkages to formal employment and local markets, ensuring that the goods and services produced by participants have a buyer.

3. Financial Inclusion

Earning income is critical, but managing it ensures longevity. The Financial Inclusion pillar provides improved income management, risk mitigation, and financial empowerment.

• Key Interventions: Participants are organized into savings groups (such as Village Savings and Loan Associations – VSLAs). Through these groups, they gain access to formal or informal savings facilities, credit for business expansion, and insurance mechanisms. All access is accompanied by financial literacy training, teaching households how to budget, save, and invest wisely.

4. Social Empowerment

Poverty often strips individuals of their voice and confidence. The Social Empowerment pillar equips families with a confident mindset and promotes community inclusion and positive behavior change.

• Key Interventions: This pillar cuts across all other interventions. It includes life skills training, coaching/mentorship, and social integration activities that bring refugees and hosts together. Underpinned by a strong commitment to gender equality, this pillar ensures that women are empowered to take on leadership roles within their households and communities.

Conclusion: A Durable Solution

The Dukore Twigire Project (DTP) – Pathways to Self-Reliance and Resilience is more than a development project; it is a commitment to human dignity. By addressing the protection and long-term needs of forcibly displaced populations and host communities in a balanced manner, RODI and its partners are enhancing the capacity of Civil Society Organizations to drive governance and development.

Through the rigorous application of the UPG model in Nyamagabe District, RODI is helping 582 households rewrite their stories—moving from dependency to self-reliance, and from vulnerability to resilience.