One Million Meals for Rwanda
March 1, 2025
Rwanda: 1 Million Meals
In 1994, a horrifying genocide rocked the country of Rwanda, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and many others displaced. Nearly 18 years later, refugees were still struggling to find their own place to call home. Throughout 2012, Feeding The Nations sent 1.1 million meals to three refugee camps in Rwanda. The food provided over 53,000 refugees with much needed nutrition.
About 58 percent of the refugees are children, many of whom have spent their entire lives living in a camp. The adults were forced from their homes and their country by war. Wanting so very much to return to Rwanda they came back. They have no place to call their own, very little available work and limited food. When they can find odd jobs to do, they are paid little. Since they are refugees and don’t have to pay for rent or food, people give them less in wages, but not enough to make a sufficient living or to send their children to school.
Who are those people? One of them is Nzabonimpa. He is 37 years old and is married with five children, ranging in age from three to 12. He first came to the camp when his wife was pregnant. They fled after militant soldiers stole his family’s cows and then returned to kill the family. He has been a refugee since 1996.
Or consider Steven who is 35 and has six children. His family was robbed and many relatives were killed, causing him to flee to the refugee camp 14 years ago.
The nutrient rich rice/vegetable meals are specially formulated with many vitamins and minerals added. This will be a change from the typical beans, and corn that makes up their diet. More importantly, it will bring hope to hurting people.
Many had never eaten rice and vegetables before. Normally only beans and corn are eaten because rice and vegetables are so expensive. This was a blessing and so many people said, “Thank you for providing this for our families.”
