Background Information
The Voice of Community Organization (VCO ) is a regional Non-Governmental Organization operating in Rwanda since 2008 in different districts countrywide and seeks to make positive behavioral and attitudinal changes through Men and Boy’s engagement, and giving people a way of expressing their needs and their Voice becomes heard and focusing on the social conditions that can drive conflicts and Violence.
Vision: To have a peaceful society which is violence free where Men and women (boys and Girls) live in harmony and able to realize their full potentials.
Mission: To promote positive change and eradicate the root causes of violence against women and children as well as getting community transformed from harmful traditional perceptions
The overall mandate of VCO is to promote Peace building &Gender and violence Prevention
As an organization of Peace building & gender equality and violence prevention, we entail the concept that all human beings, both men and women, are free to develop their personal abilities and make choices without the limitations set by stereotypes, rigid gender roles, and discrimination and addressing corporal punishment is “a key strategy for reducing and preventing all form of violence in societies.
Objectives
o Gender &Peace building promotion
o Community education on Child’s rights and end corporal punishment of girls and boys
o Legal aid for victims gender based violence
o Promote Community Health including nutrition
o Youth socio- economic empowerment
o Research and Capacity building of community initiatives.
Approach and Strategies
Strengthening families, communities’ involvement, Schools and local leaders, faith based organizations, to ensure that are informed about their rights as well as getting transformed from harmful traditional perception.
MAIN PROGRAMS
o Gender and Peace Building
o Child Rights and eradicate Corporal punishment
o Community Health promotion including Nutrition and HIV Prevention
o Legal aid for victims of gender based violence and Child abuse
o Research
Member of:
o Rwanda NGO forum for HIV and Health Promotion Forum
o Child’s rights Coalition of Civil Society Organizations “Umwana Ku isonga”
o Nile Basin Discourse Forum(NBDF)
o East Africa Civil Society Organizations Forum.
Organization structure
The Board of Directors is comprised of founder members of VCO , made up of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary General, and three (3) Advisors e Executive Team .
Core values
o We are community based
o We value all people regardless of social status
o We work with partners and accountability in all
o Practice transparency and accountability
o Commit to realizing positive sustainable change