Lucy Taylor

Elias Musabyimana national volunteer EQUECER VSO Rwanda

From school drop-out to superstar: How Elias saved 45 children's education

Alone, scared and running for his life, Elias Musabyimana was just ten years old when he survived the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis. It left him deeply traumatised, but determined to dedicate his time, skills and energy to making a better world.

Volunteering couple Jan and Ann with children in Rwanda | VSO

Happy bellies for brighter futures: Volunteers' project feeds hungry children

Shocked by levels of malnutrition in the country, volunteering couple Jan and Ann started their own project to give a hundred nursery aged children in Rwanda a hot meal at school every day.

Father and children at primary school in Rwanda | VSO

Back to school as a father of three

Gratien Nshimiyimana fought to go back to primary school - the same one his children attend - after his childhood education was cut short by Rwanda's 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsis. Now he is passionate champion of education involved, along with his children, in a VSO project to establish high quality early childhood education across the country for all children.

"My son has begun to speak"

Charles Sibomana, 11, has suspected intellectual disabilities. He was always mute in school and remained separate from other children. Since his teacher at Gahanga Primary school was trained by VSO, his performance is improving, he is mixing with other children, and has even begun to speak.

Living with HIV in Rwanda

After her husband had an affair, Beretilde became HIV positive. Life is hard for Beretilde. But after joining a local cooperative things are looking up. She is now making a better living, providing for her children and investing in the future.

Karitu Joe mother and children in Sierra Leone | VSO

Justice for women who face violence in Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone domestic violence tends to be seen as a 'private issue'. In Kenema, VSO has been supporting local organisation FINE Salone to raise awareness of women's rights and the law, change attitudes, and support survivors to prosecute their perpetrators.

VSO Volunteer Catherine Bedford with Alyce in PNG

Support for survivors of domestic violence in PNG

Papua New Guinea (PNG), where Alyce lives, has the world’s highest levels of violence against women for a country not at war. VSO has been working in PNG since 1960 and has seen just how challenging it is to change violent behaviours – and the attitudes that underlie them. For the first time, many survivors like her can now get specialist support, thanks to the efforts of volunteers.

Girl and her mother at home in Bangladesh | VSO

A year after she resisted marriage at 14, Shapla is still happy at school

A year ago we met Shapla, a 14-year-old Bangladeshi girl who used the lessons she'd learned from VSO ICS youth volunteers to convince her dad not to marry her off to a 37-year-old man. One year on, we are delighted to report that not only in Shapla still happy at school, she wants to volunteer to inspire more girls to resist child marriage.

Engaging the police in Pakistan on gender-based violence

In Pakistan, VSO is supporting local partners to improve the police response to gender-based violence in a country that scores among the lowest countries in the world for gender equality, and where patriarchal attitudes prevent many abused women seeking and accessing justice.

VSO volunteer Jan Thomas with colleagues at Boli Nursery School, Nyamasheke, Rwanda

"Come to Rwanda. You will see every volunteer is helpful"

Jan Tomas, 60, is a Dutch early childhood education adviser volunteer working in Rwanda. It's the biggest professional challenge of his career and one of the most fulfilling things he’s ever done.

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