Rwanda

2012 Bana Dukine: Using Technology to Teach Conflict Resolution Skills - Final Evaluation

This external evaluation sought to assess the extent to which the Bana Dukine computer game was appropriate for primary school students, and to understand if and what the students learned by playing the game. Developed in partnership with Serious Games Interactive, Search for Common Ground and the Rwandan Ministry of Education with financial support from the United States Institute for Peace, the game sought to increase understanding among Rwandan schoolchildren of the causes of conflicts, constructive strategies to resolve them and their application in the students’ daily lives; and, to develop new, interactive and replicable conflict resolution tools that leverages the Government of Rwanda’s national rollout of ICTs that can be adopted in comparable contexts. Overall, the evaluation finds that instead of introducing new knowledge and skills, the game provides a safe space for students to implement pre-existing knowledge and skills relating to conflict resolution.

Read the Key Findings [English]

Read the Final Evaluation [English]

2012 Supporting Trading for Peace in the Great Lakes - Final Evaluation

The 24-month project entitled Trading for Peace in the Great Lakes was implemented by Search for Common Ground (SFCG) was supported by the USAID, DFID, and COMESA “Trading for Peace” initiative. The overall goal was for trade routes between Burundi, DRC and Rwanda to be more secure for regional economic activities.

The project’s two main objectives were the following:

• Strengthen respect and trust among and between small scale traders and customs officials in the target region;

• Improve knowledge and understanding on issues causing conflict, including laws, duties, rights and approaches to manage them among principal actors on the main trading routes between the DRC, Burundi and Rwanda.

Overall, the evaluation showed that positive changes had occurred.

Read the Key Findings [English]

Read the Evaluation [English]

2012 Evaluation Finale du Projet “Trading For Peace In The Great Lakes”

Le projet de 24 mois fut mis en œuvre par Search for Common Ground (SFCG) et appuyé par l’initiative « Trading for Peace » de USAID, DFID et COMESA. L’objectif général était de sécuriser les routescommerciales entre le Burundi, la RDC et le Rwanda afin qu’elles soient plus sures pour les activités économiques régionales.

Les deux missions principales du projet étaient les suivantes:

• Renforcer le respect et la confiance parmi et entre les petits commerçants et les douaniers dans la région visée;

• Améliorer les connaissances et la compréhension des questions causant des conflits, y compris sur la règlementation, les devoirs, les droits et approches pour pouvoir ainsi mieux aborder les acteurs principaux sur les routes entre la RDC, le Burundi et le Rwanda.

Dans l’ensemble, l’évaluation démontra que des changements positifs étaient advenus.

Lire les principaux résultats [Français]

2011 Strengthening Youth Livelihood Opportunities in Rwanda

In 2011, Search For Common Ground conducted Focus Group Discussions with Rwandan youth to assess the content and impact of radio drama programs in the Livelihood Skills Development Project, funded by USAID. Discussions regarding the participants’ opinions of the radio story, whether they had listened to it as a training module or were listening to it for the first time, showed a positive impact on Rwandan youth.  All of the youth who participated in the Focus Group Discussions revealed new lessons learned from the radio program, including money management, conflict management, the importance of customer care when doing business, and having goals. The radio drama proved to be clear, interesting, and easy to follow by the participants. Many groups gave examples of how character experiences in the radio story were relevant to their own challenges. Participants have indicated a desire for longer running drama series, emphasizing that the radio drama was appropriate to their interests.

Read the Key Findings

Read the Evaluation Report

2010 Programmatic Evaluation of Search for Common Ground in Rwanda

This external evaluation was conducted towards the end of 2010 upon the completion of two SFCG projects in Rwanda, Using Communications and Dialogue to Facilitate the Implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategies, funded by the European Commission, and Promoting Collaborative Land Conflict Transformation in Contemporary Rwandan Society, funded by the United States Agency for International Development. Though separate, the two projects complimented each other as both dealt with similar and inter-related issues in Rwanda, namely poverty and land issues. The EC project sought to stimulate citizen interest and engagement around issues of youth entrepreneurship, decentralization and land reforms as key elements of poverty in Rwanda by providing information that met the needs of rural, especially youth, populations. The USAID project, on the other hand, sought to foster effective conflict resolution and reconciliation at the community level in support of the implementation of the National Land Policy and Land Law by the Government of Rwanda. The evaluation found the project well conceived and effective in creating change at the community level, and recommended such work continue and indeed, be expanded.

Read the Full Evaluation

Read the Key Findings

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