R.Y.i.c.o or the Rwandan Youth Information Community Organisation was established in 2004 by Viv Mugunga and Nicola Palmer. It was set up in response to the desperate needs of Rwanda's youth as a consequence of the genocide in 1994; during which nearly 1 million people were killed. Many of the children who live on the streets of Rwanda's capital Kigali lost their families during the genocide or were abandoned by their mothers due to the high incidences of rape during this period.
 
RYico began by opening a youth centre called Centre Marembo, where street children could come for a shower, a hot meal and advice from trained councillors and medical staff. The demand was so great that 6 months later rYico began a second project and opened Umugongo house – a separate project that offers secure accommodation and where we now house 50 former street children. The Centre continues to be a place where staff identify the most vulnerable children, giving them help, advise and ultimately a home at Umugongo House.
 
The 50 children at Umugongo house now all attend full time school and are nurtured by dedicated staff at both C.M and Umugongo House. The children use Centre Marembo in the evenings and weekends for socialising and to attend their vocational skills training class. It continues to offer drop-in facilities and hope, for the children who still have to live on the streets of Rwanda's capital.