For almost 40 years, Fundació Cors Oberts (the Open Hearts Foundation) and the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary have been carrying out humanitarian work in Rwanda, with countless solidarity projects that improve the living conditions of its inhabitants living in extreme poverty and unsanitary conditions. Vidal Asesores collaborates with this non-profit organisation in two different ways: by sponsoring children and investing in constructing a 3,000-litre water tank for their families.

The efforts of the missionaries, led by Mother Teresa Cànaves, have centred on the town of Rúkara, west of the capital, Kigali. Its main project is the sponsorship of children who receive contributions used for medical care and meet the child’s basic needs and his or her family, regular monitoring of the sponsored child, health checks, school attendance up to the 6th year of secondary school. This is in addition to a supply of clothes, soap, footwear, school supplies, uniforms, etc. There are currently more than 550 sponsored children.

The construction of facilities to ensure hygienic, educational and nutritional conditions has been a priority. A Nutrition Centre has been set up, as well as a sewing, cooking and literacy centre, a Maternity and Paediatric Centre and the Sisters’ House, among others. The mission is responsible for managing the village’s healthcare, which currently includes a community clinic, a maternity ward, hospitalisation, a laboratory, vaccination, antenatal care, family planning and a pharmacy. The other key element, the Nutritional Centre, plays an essential role for the Rúkara inhabitants, providing comprehensive care for families and growing a vegetable garden for their own consumption.