The majority of youth in the Kirehe and Kayonza districts of Eastern Province, Rwanda, live in extreme poverty and are not able to enjoy their right to an education. The most vulnerable youth are those that are HIV-affected, a large portion of whom are orphans. They have the greatest chance of not receiving secondary schooling or proper HIV treatment. In Rwanda, primary schooling is free but secondary schooling is not. The cost to attend secondary for a year averages out to around $250. As the average GNI per capita is $410, the majority of HIV-affected children are unable to afford secondary schooling and are forced to drop out.

The FACE AIDS 2010 Back to School Campaign aims to raise funds to send HIV-affected Rwandan youth to secondary school. All funds raised through the campaign are granted out through the Partners In Health School Fees Program in Rwanda, which supports students who are infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS by providing them with tuition for secondary school and, in some cases, other school-related costs.

The Back to School Campaign has the potential to help up to 656 students attend secondary school in Rwanda. Every dollar that we raise ensures that a Rwandan student can continue their education. By joining the campaign, you are standing in solidarity with HIV-affected students in Rwanda, ensuring that they can enjoy the same right to an education as you do.

Kayonza and Kirehe districts are located in Eastern Province, Rwanda. They are largely rural areas, characterized by poverty. The most recent population surveys in Rwanda show that young people, and particularly young women, are at a growing risk for being infected by HIV:

- HIV prevalence among young pregnant women in Rwanda has increased from 2.9% to 3.6% since 2005 - In the 20-24 year-old age bracket, HIV prevalence is five times higher in Rwandan women than in men (most likely due to the vulnerability of young women to infection by older men)
- While the overall prevalence amongst youth is low in Rwanda, the 14-25 year-old age bracket has a very high incidence of new infections

The Back to School Campaign aims to ensure that HIV-affected youth can enjoy their right to an education. Specifically, it responds to the fact that many students are too poor to afford the costs of secondary school in Rwanda. Whereas 92% of girls and 95% of boys attend primary school in Rwanda, only 17% and 19% attend secondary school.

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Direct Impact of Your Project

$250 enables an HIV-affected Rwandan youth to attend secondary school for one full year. This funding covers tuition and associated costs (e.g. uniforms, books, transport). Education has a tremendous impact on the student. It can bring:

- Improved health outcomes through ability to purchase health insurance, medications, delay sexual debut, and more
- Better nutrition through access to meals provided at school
- Improved gender equity, as more and more girls attend and graduate from secondary school
- Reduced isolation, often experienced by youth forced to drop out of school

Extended Impact on Your Partner Community

Education has been proven to have a strong link with health and development out comes and the family, peer network, and community of these students will gain from their schooling.

The average household in Rwanda has five children and the impact of sending one child to school extends to the rest of their family. Additionally, one child's completion of secondary schooling opens up greater professional and income-generating opportunities for that student and their family.