DIVIN LIONEL
RWANDA, 17
He/His
Project: Stand-Up For Mothers/Mamas Initiative
Growing up, Divin witnessed toxic masculinity and gender-based violence frequently in his community, even in his own home. He recognized a woman’s financial dependency frequently prevented her from escaping violent situations. In January 2022, Divin created the Stand-Up For Mothers/Mamas Initiative to help women become economically empowered and promote domestic peace in Rwanda. Divin visits the regions of Rwanda’s Bugesera that have the highest prevalence of domestic violence and works with the regions’ leaders to connect with vulnerable women. The Stand-Up For Mothers/Mamas Initiative then provides these women with female goats. Women can use goats as a source of sustainable income in many ways, especially once they produce offspring. To date, the initiative has impacted 100+ women across the Bugesera District. The Stand-Up For Mothers/Mamas Initiative also works to prevent gender-based violence by leading workshops for boys and men. They have educated 150+ boys and men in the Bugesera District on positive masculinity, gender stereotypes, gender equality and the harm of domestic violence. Even more, the initiative has spread awareness on gender equality to an additional 2,000+ people via social media. Divin will begin college in the fall of 2022 and plans to commit an independent research project to produce a film on domestic violence. In the future, he hopes to build a center to train women in a variety of vocational skills. His ultimate mission is to see a significant decrease in domestic violence across Rwanda, and Africa at large.