About us

RWANDA HEALTH INITIATIVE FOR YOUTH AND WOMEN (RHIYW)

Rwanda Health Initiative for youth and women is a non-governmental, non-profit organization focusing specifically on improving the lives of adolescents, young people and women.

1. Background

RHIYW is a Rwandan non-governmental organization born out of the passion and involvement of youth SRH champions, clinicians, health care advocates and public health experts. RHIYW implements diverse public health interventions in reproductive health (RH) and maternal health (MH). RHIYW utilize effective, sustainable approaches and strategies to accelerate the reduction of the morbidity and mortality associated to untended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, sexual violence, sexual transmitted disease. RHIYW collaborate with public health institutions and organization working in the domain of Healthcare, health promotion, Human Rights and advancing social justice. In addition to the local team RHIYW have an advisory committee made up of global experts in the fields of sexual reproductive health, maternal health, public health and advocacy.

2. Goals

To ensure that adolescents, young people and women live healthy lives; by implementing project aiming at prevention of unintended pregnancies; Gender based & sexual violence, Sexual transmitted disease, and maternal disabilities and maternal deaths. And empowering adolescents, youth and women to make informed choices about their own bodies.

3. Mission & Vision

RHIYW’s mission is to enable adolescents, youth and women to lead interventions in sexual reproductive health (SRH) and maternal health.

4. Our Values

  • Gender equality
  • Equity
  • Accountability
  • Partnership
  • Transparency
  • Sustainability
  • Integrity
  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Excellence

5. Partners

  • Rwanda Ministry of Health (MoH)
  • Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC)
  • Ministry of Youth and Culture
  • District Health units
  • District Joint Action Development Forum (JADF) forum
  • Bixby center, University of California Berkeley
  • The David and Lucile and Packard Foundation
  • Rwanda Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RSOG)
  • Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynecology (RCOG) IPAs Africa alliance
  • KASHA
  • Preston Werner Ventures
  • Venture Strategies for Health and Development(VSHD)
  • Hesperian Health Guides
  • Great Lakes Initiatives for Human rights and Development (GLIHD )
  • Health Development Initiative (HDI)
  • Nurses and Midwives professional organizations

6. Our Priorities

  1. To conduct operations research, and monitoring & evaluation programs to guide policy and practices and maternal health.
  2. Implement strategies of using telemedicine to increase access to sexual reproductive health and maternal health services.
  3. Support to develop approaches to the management of health through digital health applications.
  4. Reinforce Implementation of strategies and programs that aim to improve the health of women during pregnancy and child birth.
  5. To implement innovative interventions for effective provision of youth friendly sexual reproductive health services in public primary health facilities localized in rural areas.
  6. To support public youth centers to deliver trusted, confidential, comprehensive sexual reproductive health services.
  7. Empowering nurses and midwives working in rural public health facilities in sexual and reproductive and maternal health services provision.
  8. Strengthen the provision of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) to adolescents and young people.
  9. Provide technical support to the Ministry of Health to implement strategies for reducing maternal mortality rate associated to unsafe abortion, sexual violence and sexual transmitted disease.
  10. Strengthening Isange One Stop Centers (GBV Centers)/public health facilities in their unique role to help victims for gender-based violence.
  11. To promote family planning services provision with emphasis on long term contraceptive methods.
  12. To ensure availability of quality Sexual and maternal health commodities and medical equipment in public health facilities.
  13. Increase coverage for sexual reproductive health services in rural areas served by faith-based health facilities.
  14. Improving access to sexual reproductive health services for high risk groups of young people including teen mothers and sex workers.
  15. To strengthen the leadership capacity of young people in SRH programs, especially those for adolescent girls and young women.
  16. To create opportunities/platforms for discussions, sharing ideas and best practices in SRH services and provisions.
  17. To build the capacity of community health workers in the provision of reproductive health education and services.
  18. To implement strategies for fighting against gender discrimination and sexual violence.
  19. Strengthen gender equality and health equity approaches and accessibility for people with disabilities
  20. To implement socio-economic strategies for vulnerable group of adolescent girls and young women.

7. Our Approach

  1. Use digital health initiative.
  2. Involve and promote youth participation.
  3. Empowering adolescent’s girls and women.
  4. Establish strong partnerships and support government institutions in project implementation
  5. Implement peer education activities.
  6. Provide integrated, youth-friendly services that are in accordance with national policies.
  7. using a client-centered approach.
  8. Prioritize confidentiality and privacy.
  9. Mobile outreach in rural areas.
  10. Collaborate with local and international NGOs.
  11. Community involvement.
  12. Improve access to services for vulnerable groups.
  13. Inclusion
  14. Promote the use modern information and communication technologies (ICTS) in provision of sexual reproductive health services and education.
  15. Collaborate with National and International public health research institutions.
  16. Empowering in service health care workers; nurses, midwives, medical doctors and others.