The Noble Family Church (NFC) and Women Foundation Ministries in Kigali have injected Rwf30 million into the ‘Feed My Sheep’ program as a way of contributing to the country’s targets of reducing stunting cases.
The announcement was made this Friday during celebrations to mark the annual Thanksgiving Outreach Wirira Iwacu at Noble Family Church, Kagugu, where the ministries handed over the dummy cheque to Kinyinya Sector officials.
‘Feed My Sheep’ is one of the church ministries’ core community outreach activities which began in 2006 with feeding the sick in hospitals and has evolved over the years to focus on a holistic approach of empowering women and children.
The celebrations held at Noble Family Church, Kagugu, were marked with songs and dance in praise of what God has done in transforming lives.
For example, officials showed how the shift in social impact that happened in 2018, with the recognition of the need for early childhood centers, education, and feeding in the community, has improved the lives of many families.
The ministries started with Ishami nursery school and later established the ‘Feed My Sheep Center’ to provide a solid foundation for children’s growth and development and also contribute to national targets of improving early childhood development.
Officials stated that there were four reasons: to reduce malnutrition, provide access to education for future generations, improve human capital and socio-economic development by 2050, empower parents with skills, and economically empower families through start-up grants.
With a budget of Rwf18 million, over 1,000 children have gone through the ECD program, which has had 11 intakes with 100 children per intake. Parents have been trained, two self-help groups have been established, and on the spiritual level, over 300 people have been born-again, and over 50 families with marital conflicts have been reunited.
From 30 children, this year alone, at least 125 children have been received in the malnutrition program, and 50 of them have improved their nutrition status to the green color, indicating improved feeding.
Accompanied by her spouse, Eric Kabera, Apostle Mignone Alice Kabera said that what has happened in the ministries would not have been possible without a good nation and leadership where peace and harmony have replaced hatred and divisions.
Apostle Mignone highlighted the need for sustainability in the church’s role in transforming the lives of women and children.
“We see hope in the new life we live today, especially in the names we give our children, which indicate our journey from darkness, the desert to life and prosperity.
We are closing in on 20 years, and we cannot do this without the local leaders. From a locality called Imyembe (mangoes) to Mango City, and now to Kagugu, we have seen the lives of people transformed.
“The big vision and plan are to go beyond Rwanda and feed the world. Beyond the skills training and work kits we give women, we want this to be sustainable and work with the district,” she said.
Thanksgiving In Reality:
As part of the Thanksgiving celebrations, the church and ministries also donated food items and Kitege clothes to 200 families and women as a way of giving them an early heads-up peek into having happy 2025 Christmas season celebrations.
Through individual and group financial contributions the ministries also showed how this has supported and impacted the lives of needy women into being empowered women with new homes donated.
For instance, one beneficiary, Sophie Nizeyimana, a mother of six children (one adopted), who received a house worth Rwf40 million earlier this year, said that she was once evicted due to not being able to pay rent of Rwf50,000, but this will no longer happen, thus the need to thank the apostle while she is still alive.
“I am very thankful to the Apostle because she has moved us from the red zone of being stunted to the green zone of light. From being a depressed woman because of life’s problems to sleeping comfortably,” said Sophie Nizeyimana, one beneficiary.
Another beneficiary, Dorothee Mukesha, a casual laborer, was also handed keys to a brand new Rwf15 million house in Kigali because of her consistent commitment and hard work since the establishment of the church and its ministries.
“I used to stay in my son’s single-room house, and this bothered me as a parent. But with my own home, I now feel like a respectable parent, thanks to the Apostle,” Mukesha said.
The Future:
In 2026, the Noble Family Church and Women Foundation Ministries plan to increase their operations budget to Rwf100 million to expand their outreach activities and programs, of which 20% of this budget has already been solicited.
The ministries also plan on countrywide expansion to reach three more districts, with a realistic faith to eventually reach all 30 districts in Rwanda.
On behalf of Gasabo district, Charles Havuguziga, the Kinyinya Sector Executive Secretary thanked the ministry and its Apostle for leading the Christian community to realize a holistic- spiritual and tangible benefits (full package) which do not only impact on their lives but enable the sector (the most populated in Rwanda) to achieve the NST2 goals especially in reducing malnutrition and poverty eradication.
