VILLAGE INTERNATIONAL INC.

WOMEN'S HEALTH, SAFETY, RIGHTS AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

RWANDA 24-MONTH PILOT PROGRAM

Lead Applicant: Village International Inc.
Proposed Local Implementation Partner: Daughters of Rwanda
Primary Implementation Area: Bugesera District, Rwanda
Project Duration: 24 Months
Total Funding Requested: US$550,000
Implementation Model: International–Local Civil Society Partnership

1. PROJECT SUMMARY

Village International Inc. respectfully submits this proposal for a 24-month community-based initiative to improve the health, safety, rights, dignity and economic resilience of vulnerable women and girls in Rwanda.

The initiative will be implemented in partnership with Daughters of Rwanda, a Rwanda-based organization with existing community relationships and experience working with women and vulnerable communities. The partnership will build upon existing local capacity rather than creating a new community network from the ground up.

The proposed program will establish an integrated support model connecting vulnerable women and girls with rights education, sexual and reproductive health information, HIV and STI prevention education and referrals, gender-based violence prevention and survivor-centered support, psychosocial counseling and referrals, legal information and referrals, anti-discrimination support, and economic empowerment opportunities.

A specific component of the pilot will address women who experience heightened vulnerability because of highly stigmatized work or social circumstances. The program will provide voluntary, confidential and nonjudgmental access to information, prevention resources, counseling, legal referrals, safety support and economic opportunities.

The program will also promote dignity and protection from violence and discrimination for individuals who experience heightened vulnerability because of sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV status, poverty, gender, disability or other social circumstances, subject to applicable law and appropriate safeguarding requirements.

Village International will provide international fundraising, grant management, donor communication, financial oversight, monitoring and evaluation, organizational development and overall program accountability.

Daughters of Rwanda will lead local implementation and community engagement through a dedicated team of 15 project staff and community-program personnel, supported by qualified referral partners, health providers, legal professionals and other specialized service providers.

The project requests US$550,000 over 24 months to support personnel, program delivery, community outreach, health and prevention activities, gender-based violence response and referrals, legal support and referral systems, economic empowerment, safeguarding, monitoring and evaluation, transportation, communications, organizational strengthening, financial management and other necessary implementation costs.

The ultimate purpose of the initiative is to demonstrate a practical, measurable and sustainable model through which vulnerable women and girls can access protection, information, health resources, rights education and economic opportunity without fear of stigma or exclusion.

2. ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERSHIP

2.1 Village International Inc.

Village International Inc. is the U.S.-based lead organization for the proposed initiative.

Village International will use its U.S. institutional base to develop donor relationships, seek grant funding, maintain grant-management systems, provide financial and organizational oversight, coordinate international partnerships and support monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Village International will also be responsible for ensuring that the partnership operates in accordance with:

Donor requirements;
Applicable U.S. requirements;
Applicable Rwandan requirements;
Grant agreements;
Safeguarding standards;
Financial-control standards; and
The terms of the partnership agreement with Daughters of Rwanda.

Village International will not replace local leadership. The model is deliberately designed so that international fundraising and accountability are combined with local knowledge and community implementation.

2.2 Daughters of Rwanda

Daughters of Rwanda is the proposed local implementation partner.

Based on information and organizational materials provided to Village International, Daughters of Rwanda operates in Rwanda and has experience addressing issues affecting women and vulnerable populations, including gender justice, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence, poverty, HIV-related stigma and community support.

The organization is already connected to community members who can benefit from an expanded and better-resourced program.

Daughters of Rwanda will dedicate a 15-person implementation team to the project.

This existing local structure gives the initiative an important advantage: the program can begin with a community foundation instead of attempting to create beneficiary relationships from zero.

3. PROJECT TITLE

Women's Health, Safety, Rights and Economic Empowerment Initiative — Rwanda Pilot

For public communications, the program may also use the short name:

Women Safe Rwanda Initiative

The title communicates the project's central purpose: helping women live safely, understand their rights, access appropriate health support and strengthen their economic independence.

4. PROJECT LOCATION

The initial project will be implemented in Bugesera District, Rwanda, with the possibility of extending selected activities to neighboring communities during the project period where resources, partnerships and approvals permit.

The pilot approach is intentional.

Rather than beginning with a nationwide program before systems are tested, the project will establish a manageable geographic focus, measure results, strengthen local systems and use evidence to determine whether expansion is appropriate.

5. PROJECT DURATION

The proposed implementation period is:

24 months

The project will be organized into four implementation phases:

Phase I: Start-up, assessment and systems development — Months 1–3
Phase II: Initial service delivery and community mobilization — Months 4–9
Phase III: Program expansion and strengthening — Months 10–18
Phase IV: Evaluation, sustainability and next-stage planning — Months 19–24

6. FUNDING REQUEST

Village International requests:

US$550,000

for the complete 24-month pilot.

The requested funding will support:

15 Daughters of Rwanda project staff;
Program coordination;
Community outreach;
Women's rights education;
Sexual and reproductive health education;
HIV/STI prevention;
Counseling and psychosocial referrals;
Gender-based violence prevention and referrals;
Legal information and referrals;
Economic empowerment;
Safeguarding;
Monitoring and evaluation;
Transportation;
Communications;
Training;
Equipment and office operations;
Financial management;
Independent audit/financial review;
Organizational strengthening; and
Program administration.

7. PROBLEM STATEMENT

Women living under conditions of poverty, violence, stigma and social exclusion may face multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously.

A woman who experiences violence may also lack economic independence.

A woman experiencing HIV-related stigma may avoid health services.

A woman working in a highly stigmatized environment may face violence, exploitation or discrimination while being afraid to disclose her circumstances to service providers.

A woman facing an unintended pregnancy may lack reliable information or know where to obtain confidential support.

A person experiencing discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity may avoid reporting violence or seeking healthcare because of fear of exposure or mistreatment.

When these issues are addressed separately, vulnerable people may have to navigate multiple institutions without a trusted point of connection.

The project therefore proposes an integrated community-based model.

Rather than asking a vulnerable participant to solve each problem independently, the initiative will create coordinated pathways linking the participant to appropriate services.

The project will not directly replace hospitals, legal professionals, government institutions, shelters or specialized organizations.

Instead, it will strengthen the connection between communities and qualified service providers.

8. PROJECT VISION

A Rwanda in which every woman and girl can live with dignity, safety and equal opportunity and can access reliable information, appropriate services and pathways to justice without being excluded because of poverty, stigma or social circumstances.

9. PROJECT MISSION

To strengthen community-based systems that protect vulnerable women and girls, improve access to health and rights information, prevent gender-based violence and discrimination, connect survivors and marginalized people to qualified services, and create pathways toward greater economic independence.

10. OVERALL GOAL

To improve the health, safety, rights awareness, dignity and economic resilience of vulnerable women and girls in Bugesera District through integrated community-based education, prevention, referral and empowerment services.

11. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Increase women's rights awareness

Increase access to practical information concerning women's rights, safety, available services and pathways to assistance.

Objective 2: Improve access to health information and referrals

Improve access to sexual and reproductive health information, HIV/STI prevention education and appropriate clinical service referrals.

Objective 3: Strengthen protection from gender-based violence

Improve community-level prevention, early identification and referral systems for survivors of gender-based violence.

Objective 4: Improve access to legal assistance

Connect vulnerable women and survivors with qualified legal information, legal-aid and protection services.

Objective 5: Address stigma and discrimination

Promote dignity and reduce harmful stigma and discrimination affecting vulnerable women and marginalized communities.

Objective 6: Strengthen economic empowerment

Increase access to skills development, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and livelihood opportunities.

Objective 7: Strengthen local organizational capacity

Improve the operational, safeguarding, monitoring, financial-management and service-delivery capacity of Daughters of Rwanda.

12. TARGET BENEFICIARIES

The project will prioritize vulnerable adult women and girls, particularly:

Women experiencing poverty;
Women experiencing economic insecurity;
Survivors of gender-based violence;
Women experiencing HIV-related stigma;
Women requiring sexual and reproductive health information or referrals;
Women experiencing social exclusion;
Women requiring legal or protection referrals;
Women engaged in highly stigmatized forms of work who voluntarily seek support;
Marginalized women who have difficulty accessing conventional services;
Adolescent girls participating in age-appropriate, safeguarded activities; and
Other women identified through community needs assessment.

The program will serve participants without humiliating, shaming or coercing them.

Participation will be voluntary.

Confidentiality and participant safety will be central operating principles.

13. SPECIALIZED APPROACH TO HIGHLY STIGMATIZED WORK

The project recognizes that some women experience increased vulnerability because of work or circumstances that carry significant social stigma.

The initiative will not define these women only by the circumstances that place them at risk.

Instead, participants will be treated as rights-holders with individual goals and choices.

The program will provide voluntary access to:

Health education;
HIV and STI prevention;
Approved prevention resources through appropriate local channels;
Counseling and psychosocial support;
Violence-prevention information;
Safety planning;
Legal referrals;
Rights education;
Support for reporting abuse where the participant chooses to do so;
Economic empowerment; and
Voluntary livelihood-transition support.

Participants who want to pursue alternative employment or entrepreneurship will be supported without judgment.

Participants who do not want to make such a transition will continue to have access to appropriate health, rights and protection services.

14. SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH COMPONENT

The project will provide accurate, culturally appropriate and age-appropriate health education and referral support.

Core activities will include:

Sexual and reproductive health education;
HIV prevention information;
STI prevention information;
Condom education and access through appropriate channels;
Referral to HIV testing services;
Referral to HIV treatment and care;
Referral to STI diagnosis and treatment;
Pregnancy-related health information;
Referral to qualified reproductive health providers;
Education on prevention of unintended pregnancy; and
Community education addressing health-related stigma.

The project will not provide clinical treatment unless delivered by appropriately qualified and authorized medical professionals.

15. WOMEN'S RIGHTS EDUCATION

Rights education will be delivered through community meetings, small groups, educational materials and trained community facilitators.

Topics may include:

Personal dignity;
Freedom from violence;
Access to support services;
Rights related to health and safety;
Reporting and referral mechanisms;
Available legal services;
Protection from exploitation;
HIV-related stigma and discrimination;
Gender equality;
Child protection; and
Available government and civil-society services.

The project will prioritize practical information that participants can use in real situations.

16. GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE

The initiative will strengthen prevention and referral systems for women and girls experiencing violence.

Activities will include:

Community education;
GBV prevention campaigns;
Survivor-centered referrals;
Health-service referrals;
Psychosocial-support referrals;
Legal referrals;
Safety planning;
Community advocate training;
Referral-network mapping; and
Follow-up, where safe and appropriate.

The project will not require survivors to publicly disclose their experiences.

Survivor confidentiality and informed decision-making will be respected.

17. COUNSELING AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT

The program will establish referral pathways to qualified counselors, psychosocial providers and other appropriate professionals.

Services may address:

Trauma;
Violence;
Stigma;
Grief;
Stress;
Family conflict;
Social isolation;
Economic stress; and
Other challenges affecting participants' well-being.

The project will distinguish between community support and professional clinical mental-health care.

Where specialized treatment is required, participants will be referred to qualified providers.

18. LEGAL SUPPORT AND REFERRALS

Participants encountering violence, exploitation, discrimination or other legal challenges will have access to referral pathways.

The project will maintain a directory of qualified providers and relevant institutions.

Support may include:

Rights information;
Identification of appropriate legal services;
Referrals;
Follow-up on referral completion where the participant consents;
Community legal-awareness sessions; and
Collaboration with qualified legal-aid organizations.

No unqualified project staff will provide services reserved by law for licensed legal professionals.

19. LGBTQ+ AND ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMPONENT

The project recognizes that some individuals may experience heightened risks of violence, stigma, discrimination or barriers to services because of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The program will promote dignity, safety and non-discrimination.

Activities may include:

Confidential referral;
HIV/STI prevention and health referrals;
Psychosocial referrals;
Legal referrals;
Safety information;
Rights awareness;
Anti-stigma education; and
Community engagement.

Because this area requires careful attention to the applicable legal and social environment, implementation protocols will be developed with qualified local advisors and partners and will prioritize participant safety and confidentiality.

20. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Economic vulnerability can increase exposure to exploitation and violence.

The initiative will therefore include an economic empowerment component.

Activities will include:

Vocational skills;
Entrepreneurship;
Financial literacy;
Business planning;
Savings-group support;
Employment-readiness training;
Mentorship;
Referrals to jobs and business opportunities;
Digital and basic business skills; and
Small livelihood support where the funding agreement permits.

The project will prioritize practical skills that can generate sustainable income.

21. COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The program will use community-based outreach to identify information gaps, increase awareness and connect participants with services.

Outreach activities may include:

Community meetings;
Small-group sessions;
Women's forums;
Youth sessions;
Information campaigns;
Printed information materials;
Peer/community advocates;
Referral networks; and
Collaboration with existing community structures.

Outreach activities will avoid unnecessary public identification of participants.

22. STAFFING PLAN

Daughters of Rwanda will dedicate 15 personnel to implementation.

The 15-person team will be structured as follows:

Position	Number
Project Manager	1
Finance and Administration Officer	1
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer	1
Protection/GBV Officers	2
Sexual and Reproductive Health/HIV Officers	2
Legal and Referral Officers	2
Economic Empowerment Officers	2
Community Outreach Officers	4
Total	15

The project will also use external or partner professionals where specialized services are required, including:

Licensed/qualified health providers;
Qualified counselors;
Legal professionals;
Trainers;
Auditors;
Technical consultants; and
Other specialists.

23. STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Manager

Responsible for day-to-day project coordination, implementation, staff supervision, partnership management and reporting.

Finance and Administration Officer

Responsible for budgeting, accounting, procurement documentation, financial controls and financial reporting.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer

Responsible for indicators, data collection, quality assurance, reporting and learning.

Protection/GBV Officers

Responsible for GBV prevention, referral systems, safeguarding coordination and survivor-centered support.

Health/HIV Officers

Responsible for health education, prevention information and coordination with qualified health providers.

Legal and Referral Officers

Responsible for rights education, legal-service mapping and referral coordination.

Economic Empowerment Officers

Responsible for training, entrepreneurship support, financial literacy and livelihood activities.

Community Outreach Officers

Responsible for community engagement, participant outreach, education sessions and community feedback.

24. IMPLEMENTATION PHASES

PHASE I — START-UP AND BASELINE

Months 1–3

Key activities:

Finalize partnership agreement;
Confirm legal and regulatory requirements;
Establish project office systems;
Recruit/assign 15 staff;
Conduct baseline assessment;
Map health, legal, GBV and psychosocial providers;
Establish safeguarding procedures;
Establish data-protection procedures;
Develop referral protocols;
Develop monitoring tools;
Develop procurement procedures;
Train staff;
Conduct community orientation.

PHASE II — INITIAL PROGRAM DELIVERY

Months 4–9

Activities:

Begin rights education;
Begin health education;
Launch HIV/STI prevention education;
Establish referral services;
Launch GBV prevention activities;
Begin legal referrals;
Begin counseling referrals;
Launch community outreach;
Begin economic empowerment training.

PHASE III — PROGRAM EXPANSION

Months 10–18

Activities:

Expand participant reach;
Strengthen service-provider partnerships;
Increase community education;
Expand economic empowerment;
Strengthen community advocate network;
Conduct midterm review;
Correct implementation weaknesses;
Strengthen financial and data systems;
Document lessons learned.

PHASE IV — EVALUATION AND SUSTAINABILITY

Months 19–24

Activities:

Final participant assessment;
Outcome evaluation;
Participant feedback;
Financial review;
External audit/assurance;
Sustainability planning;
Donor reporting;
Development of Phase II funding strategy;
Preparation for responsible expansion.

25. EXPECTED RESULTS

At the end of 24 months, the project expects to have:

Reached approximately 1,500 women and girls through direct and community-level programming;
Provided rights education to at least 1,000 participants;
Provided sexual and reproductive health education to at least 1,000 participants;
Connected at least 600 participants with appropriate health services or referrals;
Provided HIV/STI prevention information to at least 900 participants;
Connected at least 300 people with counseling or psychosocial support;
Provided at least 250 legal referrals;
Supported or referred at least 250 survivors or people affected by gender-based violence;
Enrolled at least 400 participants in economic empowerment activities;
Trained at least 75 community advocates;
Conducted at least 80 community education sessions;
Established at least 12 formal referral relationships; and
Strengthened the management and program systems of Daughters of Rwanda.

These targets will be confirmed through the project's baseline and finalized monitoring framework.

26. EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Outcome 1

Women and girls have increased knowledge of their rights and available support services.

Outcome 2

Vulnerable women have improved access to accurate health information and appropriate health services.

Outcome 3

Women affected by violence have stronger access to protection, counseling, health and legal referral pathways.

Outcome 4

Stigma and discrimination are reduced through community education and non-discriminatory referral services.

Outcome 5

Women participating in economic empowerment activities have improved skills, financial knowledge or livelihood opportunities.

Outcome 6

Daughters of Rwanda has strengthened organizational systems and capacity to sustain community-based programming.

27. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING

The project will adopt a results-based monitoring system.

Key indicators

Number of people reached;
Number of education sessions;
Number receiving health information;
Number receiving prevention information;
Number of referrals;
Number of completed referrals;
Number receiving psychosocial support/referrals;
Number of legal referrals;
Number of GBV referrals;
Number completing economic training;
Number of participants reporting increased knowledge;
Number of community advocates trained;
Participant satisfaction;
Participant safety indicators;
Referral-provider performance; and
Organizational-capacity indicators.

Data collection

Data will be collected using appropriate confidential methods.

The project will not collect unnecessary sensitive information.

Individual stories will only be documented and used for donor communications with informed consent.

28. SAFEGUARDING AND PROTECTION

The project will establish a comprehensive safeguarding framework before service delivery.

It will include:

Child safeguarding;
Prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse;
Sexual harassment prevention;
Staff code of conduct;
Confidentiality;
Informed consent;
Safe referrals;
Complaint mechanisms;
Whistleblower protection;
Incident reporting;
Data protection;
Staff training;
Appropriate recruitment screening; and
Safeguarding audits.

Participants will have access to a safe mechanism for reporting concerns about staff, volunteers or partners.

No participant will lose access to services because they make a good-faith complaint.

29. CHILD PROTECTION

Activities involving girls under 18 will use age-appropriate approaches.

The project will comply with applicable child-protection requirements and will not treat minors as miniature adults within adult programming.

Any safeguarding concern involving a minor will follow established child-protection procedures and appropriate referral pathways.

30. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

Participant information will be treated as confidential.

The project will follow a minimum-data principle:

Only information necessary for safe service delivery, referral, monitoring or donor accountability will be collected.

Sensitive information will not be publicly disclosed.

Reports to donors will use aggregated information wherever possible.

31. RISK MANAGEMENT

Risk	Mitigation
Participant exposure or retaliation	Confidentiality, safety planning and discreet referrals
Stigma	Community education and nonjudgmental service delivery
GBV-related danger	Survivor-centered referrals and safety procedures
Data breach	Restricted access and secure data systems
Financial misuse	Segregation of duties and financial controls
Poor reporting	Standardized reporting calendar
Staff misconduct	Recruitment screening, code of conduct and complaints system
Regulatory non-compliance	Legal review and compliance monitoring
Weak referral network	Formal agreements and referral mapping
Community resistance	Community engagement and local leadership
Program underperformance	Quarterly review and corrective action
Funding interruption	Multi-donor strategy and sustainability plan

32. PARTNERSHIP GOVERNANCE

A formal MOU between Village International and Daughters of Rwanda will govern implementation.

The agreement will define:

Responsibilities;
Budget authority;
Procurement rules;
Reporting;
Financial controls;
Data protection;
Safeguarding;
Intellectual property;
Communication;
Branding;
Monitoring;
Auditing;
Conflict-of-interest management;
Incident reporting;
Dispute resolution; and
Termination procedures.

Village International will maintain final accountability to the donor for the grant where it serves as the prime recipient.

Daughters of Rwanda will be accountable to Village International for funds and activities delegated under the partnership agreement.

33. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

All project expenditures will be governed by written financial procedures.

Controls will include:

Annual and monthly budgets;
Authorized approval levels;
Supporting documentation;
Procurement procedures;
Separation of financial duties;
Bank reconciliation;
Payroll records;
Asset registers;
Expense review;
Budget variance analysis;
Quarterly financial reports;
Donor financial reports; and
Independent audit or financial assurance as required.

No grant funds will be used for personal expenses unrelated to the project.

34. PROCUREMENT

Procurement will emphasize:

Transparency;
Value for money;
Competition where appropriate;
Proper documentation;
Conflict-of-interest controls;
Verification of goods/services;
Appropriate authorization.

Where donor procurement rules are stricter than internal procedures, the stricter donor requirements will apply.

35. PRELIMINARY 24-MONTH BUDGET

A. PERSONNEL — 15 Daughters of Rwanda STAFF

Position	Qty.	Monthly Budgeted Cost	24-Month Total
Project Manager	1	$1,500	$36,000
Finance & Administration Officer	1	$1,000	$24,000
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Officer	1	$1,000	$24,000
Protection/GBV Officers	2	$900 each	$43,200
Health/HIV Officers	2	$900 each	$43,200
Legal/Referral Officers	2	$850 each	$40,800
Economic Empowerment Officers	2	$800 each	$38,400
Community Outreach Officers	4	$650 each	$62,400
TOTAL PERSONNEL	15		$312,000

These amounts are project-budget figures and are intended to cover compensation assigned to the project. Final payroll arrangements will comply with applicable law and donor rules.

36. PROGRAM DELIVERY COSTS

Budget Item	24-Month Cost
Women's rights education	$20,000
Sexual/reproductive health education	$25,000
HIV/STI prevention and referral activities	$25,000
GBV prevention and referral support	$22,000
Counseling and psychosocial referral support	$15,000
Legal information and referral services	$15,000
Economic empowerment and skills training	$30,000
Community outreach	$18,000
Community advocate training	$10,000
Educational materials and printing	$8,000
Participant support and safe referral transportation	$12,000
SUBTOTAL	$200,000

37. OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT COSTS

Budget Item	24-Month Cost
Office rent and utilities	$18,000
Office equipment and furniture	$10,000
Computers and data-management equipment	$10,000
Communications and internet	$6,000
Transportation and field operations	$18,000
Staff training and professional development	$10,000
Meetings and coordination	$7,000
Accounting and financial services	$8,000
External audit/financial assurance	$7,000
Monitoring and evaluation	$15,000
Safeguarding systems	$5,000
Insurance and risk-management costs	$5,000
Organizational strengthening	$8,000
SUBTOTAL	$127,000

38. TOTAL PROJECT COST

Category	Amount
Personnel	$312,000
Program Delivery	$200,000
Operations & Management	$127,000
TOTAL	$639,000

Because donor programs frequently apply different rules to salary, indirect costs and program expenses, Village International will request US$550,000 as the core grant amount, while seeking additional co-financing and in-kind support for the balance.

The core request will therefore prioritize:

Personnel required for direct implementation;
Community services;
Health and prevention activities;
GBV response and referrals;
Economic empowerment;
Monitoring and evaluation;
Safeguarding; and
Essential project operations.

39. CORE GRANT REQUEST

US$550,000

Proposed allocation of the core grant:

Core Grant Area	Amount
Personnel and project management	$285,000
Direct program services	$165,000
Monitoring, evaluation and safeguarding	$25,000
Transportation and outreach operations	$22,000
Office and communications	$18,000
Finance, audit and compliance	$15,000
Organizational strengthening	$10,000
Contingency and eligible indirect costs	$10,000
TOTAL REQUEST	$550,000

The remaining activities and costs reflected in the full implementation budget will be supported through co-financing, additional grants, in-kind contributions or subsequent funding opportunities.

40. DONOR VALUE FOR MONEY

The project is designed to maximize the use of grant resources by:

Building upon an existing local organization;
Using existing community relationships;
Combining education and referral systems;
Training local personnel;
Strengthening local capacity;
Establishing measurable outcomes;
Using qualified referral providers rather than unnecessarily duplicating specialized institutions;
Monitoring costs and results; and
Developing multiple funding streams.

41. SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

The project is designed to continue beyond the first grant.

Sustainability will be pursued through five mechanisms.

1. Local Capacity

Daughters of Rwanda will receive organizational and technical strengthening.

2. Community Leadership

Community advocates will be trained so that knowledge remains within communities.

3. Referral Partnerships

Long-term relationships will be established with health, legal and protection providers.

4. Diversified Funding

Village International will develop relationships with multiple foundations, governments, corporations, philanthropic donors and other development partners.

5. Evidence for Scale

Results from the pilot will be documented and used to seek larger follow-on grants.

42. FUNDING AND SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

Village International will pursue a diversified funding strategy to support the Rwanda Women's Health, Safety, Rights and Economic Empowerment Initiative and sustain the program beyond the initial 24-month implementation period.

Funding will be sought from mission-aligned philanthropic foundations, women's rights and gender-justice funders, health and HIV-focused institutions, human-rights organizations, international development agencies, corporate foundations, government grant programs, individual donors and other appropriate funding partners.

Village International will not depend on a single donor. The organization will develop multiple funding relationships and, where appropriate, seek complementary grants for specific components of the program, including women's rights, gender-based violence prevention, sexual and reproductive health, HIV/STI prevention, legal access, economic empowerment and organizational strengthening.

The project will use the results and lessons generated during the Rwanda pilot to demonstrate effectiveness, strengthen future funding applications and develop opportunities for longer-term institutional support.

At least six months before the end of the initial grant period, Village International and Daughters of Rwanda will develop a sustainability and continuation plan addressing future funding, local partnerships, organizational capacity, community participation and responsible program expansion.

All future funding relationships will be subject to appropriate due diligence and will be managed in accordance with donor requirements, applicable law, safeguarding standards and Village International's financial-control policies.

43. RWANDA PARTNERSHIP AND IMPLEMENTATION MODEL

The proposed Rwanda program will be implemented through a formal partnership between Village International Inc., a nonprofit organization based in the United States, and Daughters of Rwanda, an established Rwanda-based organization with existing community presence, personnel, beneficiaries and operational experience in Bugesera District.

Daughters of Rwanda will serve as the local implementing partner and will lead the day-to-day implementation of project activities in Rwanda. The organization will provide its existing local infrastructure, community relationships, implementation personnel and knowledge of the communities served.

Daughters of Rwanda will dedicate a team of 15 personnel to the implementation of the project and will coordinate community outreach, participant engagement, rights education, health and prevention activities, referral services, economic-empowerment activities, safeguarding and local reporting.

Village International will serve as the international lead and funding partner. Its responsibilities will include donor identification and engagement, grant development, fundraising, grant administration, financial oversight, program coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting, organizational strengthening and international partnership development.

The relationship between the two organizations will be governed by a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and, where required by a donor, a corresponding grant, subgrant or implementation agreement. The MOU will clearly define the responsibilities, authority, financial arrangements, reporting requirements, safeguarding obligations, monitoring procedures, accountability mechanisms and dispute-resolution procedures of both organizations.

This partnership model allows the project to build upon an organization that is already operating within the target community rather than creating a new service-delivery structure. It is therefore designed to promote local leadership, localization, sustainability and efficient use of donor resources.

Daughters of Rwanda will remain responsible for activities carried out within its existing legal and operational framework in Rwanda. Village International will not represent itself as a locally registered Rwandan NGO or international NGO unless and until any separate registration or authorization required for its own direct activities in Rwanda has been obtained.

Where a particular donor, Rwandan authority or grant agreement requires additional registration, authorization, government partnership, or other compliance measures for Village International's specific activities, the organizations will complete those requirements before undertaking the affected activities.

All project funds transferred to Daughters of Rwanda will be governed by the MOU and applicable grant agreement, properly documented, subject to financial controls and used exclusively for approved project purposes. Village International and Daughters of Rwanda will maintain transparent financial records and cooperate with donor monitoring, audits and applicable regulatory requirements.

The partnership is therefore structured around a clear division of responsibilities:

Village International Inc.

International fundraising

• Donor relations

• Grant management

• Financial oversight

• Monitoring and evaluation

• Donor reporting

• Organizational strengthening

Daughters of Rwanda

Local implementation

• Community outreach

• Participant engagement

• Rights education

• Health and prevention activities

• Referrals

• Economic empowerment

• Safeguarding

• Local reporting

Through this model, Village International and Daughters of Rwanda will combine international fundraising capacity with established local implementation capacity to deliver a sustainable, community-based program for vulnerable women and girls in Rwanda.

44. IMPLEMENTATION WORK PLAN

Months 1–3

Finalize partnership agreement;
Complete compliance review;
Establish project management systems;
Establish finance systems;
Assign 15 project personnel;
Complete baseline assessment;
Map service providers;
Establish referral agreements;
Develop safeguarding procedures;
Train project team.

Months 4–6

Launch rights education;
Launch health education;
Launch HIV/STI prevention;
Begin outreach;
Begin counseling referrals;
Begin legal referrals;
Begin GBV prevention;
Launch first economic empowerment cohorts.

Months 7–9

Expand outreach;
Strengthen referral network;
Conduct community awareness activities;
Review participant feedback;
Improve service pathways.

Months 10–12

Conduct annual review;
Review financial performance;
Review indicators;
Strengthen economic empowerment;
Expand community advocate training.

Months 13–15

Continue service delivery;
Expand participant reach;
Strengthen partnerships;
Provide additional staff training.

Months 16–18

Conduct midterm evaluation;
Implement corrective measures;
Document outcomes;
Strengthen sustainability planning.

Months 19–21

Continue core services;
Begin final evaluation;
Conduct participant feedback;
Develop Phase II strategy.

Months 22–24

Complete final evaluation;
Complete financial review;
Prepare donor report;
Complete sustainability plan;
Prepare next funding applications;
Document lessons learned;
Prepare responsible expansion plan.

45. RESULTS FRAMEWORK

Objective	Key Output	Expected Outcome
Women's rights	Rights sessions and materials	Increased rights awareness
Health	Health education and referrals	Improved access to appropriate health services
HIV/STI prevention	Prevention education and referrals	Increased prevention knowledge and service access
GBV prevention	Community education and referrals	Improved protection pathways
Legal access	Legal referrals	Increased access to qualified assistance
Anti-discrimination	Community awareness and referrals	Reduced stigma and improved access to services
Economic empowerment	Skills and entrepreneurship activities	Increased economic resilience
Organizational capacity	Staff training and systems	Stronger local implementation capacity

46. KEY PERFORMANCE TARGETS

During the 24-month period, the project will aim to achieve:

1,500+ women and girls reached through direct and community-level activities.

1,000+ participants receiving women's rights education.

1,000+ participants receiving sexual and reproductive health information.

900+ participants receiving HIV/STI prevention information.

600+ participants receiving appropriate health referrals.

300+ participants receiving counseling or psychosocial referrals.

250+ participants receiving legal referrals.

250+ participants receiving GBV-related support or referrals.

400+ participants completing economic empowerment activities.

75+ community advocates trained.

80+ community education sessions conducted.

12+ formalized referral relationships established or strengthened.

47. QUALITY ASSURANCE

Village International will establish quarterly performance reviews.

Reviews will examine:

Progress against targets;
Financial performance;
Participant safety;
Staff performance;
Referral performance;
Community feedback;
Safeguarding incidents;
Risks;
Procurement;
Donor compliance; and
Sustainability.

Where targets are not being achieved, management will document corrective action.

48. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

The project will not impose solutions without community input.

Women and girls will participate in identifying:

Service barriers;
Health-information needs;
Safety concerns;
Economic challenges;
Referral barriers; and
Program improvements.

Participant feedback will inform program adaptation throughout the 24-month period.

49. GENDER EQUALITY APPROACH

Gender equality is not treated as an additional activity.

It is the foundation of the program.

Every component will ask:

Are women able to participate safely?
Are they able to access services without discrimination?
Do they understand available rights and choices?
Are survivors treated with dignity?
Are economic barriers being addressed?
Are community systems becoming safer?
Are women participating in decisions affecting the program?

50. PRINCIPLE OF VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION

Participants will not be forced to:

Receive counseling;
Report violence;
Change employment;
Disclose HIV status;
Disclose sexual orientation or gender identity;
Participate in economic activities; or
Share personal experiences publicly.

The project's role is to provide information, choices, support and referrals.

51. ETHICAL COMMUNICATION

Village International and Daughters of Rwanda will not use vulnerable participants' stories merely as fundraising material.

Photographs, names, personal histories and testimonials will only be used with appropriate informed consent.

Donor communications will prioritize participant dignity and safety.

52. SUSTAINABILITY BEYOND 24 MONTHS

At least six months before the end of the grant, the project will begin formal Phase II planning.

This will include:

Analysis of outcomes;
Identification of successful interventions;
Cost-per-result assessment;
Donor strategy;
Local partnership strategy;
Government/service-provider coordination;
Community leadership strategy;
Organizational capacity review;
Additional fundraising.

The objective is to transition from a pilot project into a sustainable program rather than allowing services to stop when the first grant ends.

53. FUTURE REGIONAL EXPANSION

Following successful completion of the Rwanda pilot, Village International may develop programs in additional countries, including:

Burundi;
Uganda;
Kenya;
Tanzania; and
Zambia.

Expansion will be based on demonstrated results, appropriate local partnerships, legal requirements, funding availability and safeguarding capacity.

The organization will not assume that the Rwanda implementation model can simply be copied into another country without local adaptation.

54. ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT

Village International is committed to:

Financial transparency;
Program accountability;
Participant dignity;
Non-discrimination;
Safeguarding;
Evidence-based programming;
Local partnership;
Donor compliance;
Responsible stewardship of grant resources; and
Continuous improvement.

55. FUNDING REQUEST AND INVESTMENT CASE

Village International respectfully requests US$550,000 over 24 months to establish and implement the Rwanda pilot.

This investment will support a 15-person local implementation team and the systems necessary to reach vulnerable women and girls with integrated rights, health, protection and economic-empowerment services.

The project represents an opportunity to invest not only in immediate service delivery but also in local capacity.

The grant will help strengthen:

Women's knowledge of their rights;
Access to health information;
HIV/STI prevention;
GBV prevention and referral;
Legal-service access;
Psychosocial support;
Anti-discrimination systems;
Economic opportunities; and
The institutional capacity of a local women's organization.

56. CONCLUSION

Village International Inc. believes that every woman and girl deserves safety, dignity, access to information, protection from violence and meaningful opportunity.

The proposed Rwanda Women's Health, Safety, Rights and Economic Empowerment Initiative is designed to respond to interconnected vulnerabilities through a practical community-based model.

The program will connect women and girls to health information, HIV/STI prevention, counseling, legal referrals, gender-based violence prevention, rights education and economic empowerment.

It will intentionally reach women who are often excluded from conventional services because of poverty, stigma or social circumstances.

It will also promote dignity and non-discrimination for marginalized communities and strengthen referral pathways to qualified providers.

The strength of the model lies in the partnership.

Village International brings international fundraising, donor accountability, grant-management capacity, monitoring and organizational support.

Daughters of Rwanda brings local leadership, community relationships and a dedicated 15-person implementation team.

Together, the organizations can develop a measurable, responsible and scalable model that strengthens women's health, safety, rights and economic resilience.

Village International respectfully invites mission-aligned donors and partners to invest US$550,000 over 24 months in the Rwanda pilot and join an initiative designed to produce measurable community results while strengthening sustainable local capacity.

57. MASTER BUDGET SUMMARY

Budget Category	24-Month Amount
Personnel – 15 Daughters of Rwanda staff	$312,000
Women's rights education	$20,000
Sexual/reproductive health	$25,000
HIV/STI prevention	$25,000
GBV prevention and referral	$22,000
Counseling/psychosocial referrals	$15,000
Legal information/referrals	$15,000
Economic empowerment	$30,000
Community outreach	$18,000
Community advocate training	$10,000
Educational materials	$8,000
Participant referral transportation/support	$12,000
Office rent/utilities	$18,000
Office equipment	$10,000
Computers/data systems	$10,000
Communications/internet	$6,000
Field transportation	$18,000
Staff training	$10,000
Meetings/coordination	$7,000
Accounting/financial services	$8,000
External audit/financial assurance	$7,000
Monitoring & evaluation	$15,000
Safeguarding	$5,000
Insurance/risk management	$5,000
Organizational strengthening	$8,000
FULL IMPLEMENTATION BUDGET	$639,000

CORE GRANT REQUEST

US$550,000

The project will seek supplementary resources and co-financing to cover the difference between the full implementation budget and the core grant request.

58. DONOR ASSURANCE

Village International commits that all funds received for this initiative will be used only for approved project purposes and administered in accordance with the applicable grant agreement, organizational financial procedures and applicable law.

The project will maintain appropriate records for program expenditures, personnel costs, procurement, participant activities, financial reporting and results.

The project will provide donors with periodic narrative and financial reports and will cooperate with donor monitoring, audits and due-diligence procedures.

59. FINAL STATEMENT

Village International Inc.

Gedeon Nsabimana

villageinternational10132017@gmail.com

11314 Powhatan Court, #5

Louisville, KY 40241

USA

Women's Health, Safety, Rights and Economic Empowerment Initiative

Rwanda 24-Month Pilot Program

Funding Request: US$550,000

Lead Organization: Village International Inc.
Local Implementation Partner: Daughters of Rwanda
Primary Location: Bugesera District, Rwanda
Project Duration: 24 Months
Local Project Personnel: 15

Core Purpose: Protect women and girls, expand access to health and rights information and services, strengthen protection from violence and discrimination, increase access to justice and build economic resilience.