Psychosocial Benefits of a Mentoring Program for Youth-headed Households in Rwanda

The phenomenon of youth-headed households in the region is a relatively recent development, precipitated by the effects of the AIDS pandemic at the household and community levels, as well as broader shifts in cultural values, family structures, and the global socioeconomic environment (Preble 1990; Hunter 2000). Despite the long history of fostering in sub-Saharan Africa, family and community safety nets are overstretched. Youth-headed households may be a legitimate coping strategy; for instance, some children and youth may feel that A quasi-experimental study showed that mentoring from adults can measurably mitigate adverse psychosocial outcomes among youth heads of households. The mentorship program is a scaleable approach to improving psychosocial wellbeing among vulnerable youth.