The mission of the U.S. Embassy Kigali is to support local communities in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve self-reliance and reduce poverty and hunger. This is accomplished through small grant programs like the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Program, which fosters community-based development and sustainability by emphasizing local contributions and engagements. Over the past decade, the Department of State has invested $2 million annually in SSH projects across 47 countries on the continent.
The grant program by U.S. Embassy Kigali, known as the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help (SSH) Program, aims to improve basic economic and social conditions at the grassroots level within Sub-Saharan Africa. The program supports high-impact activities that benefit many people, requiring projects to exhibit local investment either through cash, labor, and/or material, and to have the local support necessary for successful operation and maintenance. Eligible projects should be capable of completion within 12 months and determinately foster community self-reliance, marking significant contributions to poverty and hunger reduction in the region.