Project overview
Over the course of 24 months (January 2025 – December 2026), 470 families in Huye and Bugesera will be introduced to pig farming. This initiative helps families increase their income, cater to their children’s medical and educational needs, and foster inclusion within their communities.
Why is the project needed?
In rural Rwanda, children with disabilities often face extreme challenges in getting the care they need. Travelling to medical appointments can be difficult, and families often experience isolation and stigma from their communities. Many parents are left to care for their children with little or no support. This is where our Big Pig Project steps in, providing essential help to families to improve their livelihoods and care for their children with disabilities. It provides a sustainable solution by helping families increase their income through pig farming, enabling them to meet their children’s medical, nutritional, and educational needs. The project also helps break down the stigma and foster greater inclusion within communities by educating parents about their children’s disability and connecting them with other parents in the area.
Watch how one pig changed a little girl’s life:
Project objectives
- 470 families will be economically empowered to meet their children’s basic needs.
- 180 children with disabilities will be enrolled in school and regularly attending
- 70% of children with disabilities will be increasingly included in family and community life.
- 25 parent support groups will begin the process of becoming a registered cooperative
Before families receive pigs, they participate in a five-day training programme covering the basics of pig farming. Ongoing support is provided throughout the project from pig farming consultants, veterinary doctors, and peer support from the Parent Support Groups.