Goats for Gifts - About Solace Ministries

About Solace Ministries

The 1994 Rwandan genocide was a result of tensions between the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi ethnic groups. These two groups had lived in harmony and intermarried frequently prior to colonization in the late nineteenth century. Belgium gained control of Rwanda from Germany following World War I. Their colonial policies greatly increased tensions between the Hutus and the Tutsis. Economic hardship and ethnic conflict culminated in the 1994 genocide. More than a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were brutally murdered in one hundred days. The UN and the West did little to stop this conflict.

Homes, farms and livestock were destroyed; women brutally beaten and raped. There are now 5,400 households who are part of the Solace family. Most are located in rural areas throughout the country, but a few live in the slums of Kigali. Jean Gakwandi formed Solace Ministries soon after the genocide to help widows and orphans without family, home, or means of support. Solace assists these poorest of poor through a holistic approach. They help to develop means of support, such as shelter, farming, income producing crafts, education, and counseling. There is a medical clinic which serves over 500 women who were raped and given the HIV virus. They also provide medical care to those who cannot afford the government program.

Why Should I Give to Solace Ministries?

Solace Ministries is a well respected group in Rwanda and often works in conjunction with other international and local groups with similar objectives. Solace welcomes inspection of their financial records which are audited once a year. An American accountant commented that they have done an excellent job of bookkeeping. Betsy has seen the healthy goats and cows that have been given and heard many joyful stories of how these animals have changed lives. Your dollars will go far in Rwanda. "There is a lot of bang for your buck." Solace, with the assistance of a volunteer veterinarian, knows where to find the best animals at a reasonable price.