How children become our students: Marie's story

Yvonne Parr, our partner in Rwanda, recently shared the story of how Marie [her name has been changed] came to live at one of the homes that she and her husband began. It's a sobering reminder of what our students have lived through and why we have chosen to be their advocates for their education:

We have worked with Marie since 2007 in counseling her and went through her healing process in her genocide memories. She has an amazing testimony. She was in such pain when she first came to us for counseling that she could not even speak. She brought her very dear and closest friend with her Ann, who spoke for her. The next counseling session was one of the most difficult I have ever encountered. The atmosphere was all pain. She could barely speak. I held her in my arms for over 45 minutes as she wailed and wailed. Then she would stop. Then it would begin again. My shirt was literally soaked with her tears. She gave testimony afterwards that she was on a road and each time she was wailing she thought of a point of pain in her life. Then as she stopped she was kicking it out of the way and continuing on the road until the next point of pain and so on. We were amazed.

She was a genocide survivor and her mother was killed in the genocide. She thought her father had been killed as well but found out in 2002 that he was alive and in prison for genocide crimes. She went to see him but could not bear it and never saw him again. As we counseled her we began to find out she was daddy's little girl when young. To make a long story short with our counsel she went to visit him after all those years and was reconciled with him. The account is like a prodigal son kind of thing. During our time of counseling with her, she lived with Ann's family. But then Ann's father was going to put her out because he did not want the burden of school fees. So we started sponsoring her then but she always lived with this family and her and Ann were very, very close. Ann stood by her in many ways.

But then in 2008 Ann's family moved and Marie had no place to stay. She came to us for help and though we were in America at that time we allowed her to stay at our girls' house.

-Yvonne Parr, A Voice For Rwanda

Marie recently left the girls' house and the Right2School program to live and care for Ann during and after Ann's pregnancy. Fortunately, Ann is paying for Marie's education so she can continue to be in school and make a better life for herself.

Do you want to impact a student's life like Marie's? To find out more go to www.globalcapacity.org.

What is in Marie Claire's bookbag? A squeegie.

What is in Marie Claire's bookbag? I recently received a list of items that we bought for the 14 year-old Right2School student, to begin her year at secondary school:

2 school uniforms
1 sweater
1 pair of sports shoes
1 igitenge (cloth to wear while cleaning)
1 mosquito net
1 mattress
1 pillow
2 sets of bed sheets
20 200-page notebooks
10 pens
1 math set
1 calculator
1 set of passport photos
1 lucrette (like a squeegie to clean floors)
1 plate
1 cup
1 set of utensils

As I read through the list I thought about how different the items are than the ones my mom and dad used to buy me for school. Typically that list contained things like: a couple new sets of clothes, a pair of shoes, tablets of paper, folders, a lunch box, lead pencils, pencil bag, erasers, and so on. They were tools that they would purchase for me year after year because I would lose them or break them or mistreat them. I had the luxury of returning to Wal-mart each year because we had the money to do so. I learned to take school supplies for granted and not value them.

Then consider Marie Claire, who will not take any item on this list for granted. She might never have had the opportunity to own some of these supplies before. I can guarantee that at the end of the school year, some of these items will be in mint condition because she treasured and valued them.

It brings joy to my heart to know that students like Marie Claire will be improving the lives of her future children by going to school, and one day will be buying school supplies for them.

National Heroes Day: A Reflection

It was Heroes Day in Rwanda this past Tuesday, a national holiday designated to reflect on the past and present heroes of the nation. We asked three of our students who their heroes are:

"In this world there are people who make the right choice for their countries. Those heroes accept even to lose their life for the nations which is an incredible example for us. My heroes are Fred Gisa RWIGEMA, KING MUTARA III RUDAHIGWA, Students of NYANGE School, UWILINGIYIMANA Agathe and all others who sacrificed their life to save the people and plant the good culture of loving the country. In different ways they all fought against ethnicity and bad politics. As youth we have to learn from them and be the engine to keep peace and build better community."
-Jean Claude

"Fred Gisa RWIGEMA is my hero, He refused to stand and see Rwanda continue to lose the dignity, he started a war to stop the violence and liberate our country. He and all other heroes are unforgettable."
-Alphonse




"As we remember our heroes every 2nd February. It’s time to realize their exemplary activity they did for saving our country. And it’s a good time for everyone to think about how he/she must do better to restore the country and build a stable economy. God bless all those heroes."
-Thierry


Read more about these important figures in Rwanda's history and find out why our students see them as heroes who helped shape the nation into what it is today.

Wealthy donors: needy persons or buildings?

According to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, only a few of the largest donations given in 2010 went to organizations that help the poor. In fact, only one out of the ten largest gifts were made to directly impact the poor. The other nine were given to institutions for expansion projects or endowments.

This is disturbing to me since it is estimated that 1 billion people live in extreme poverty, or on $1.25/day. Although the World Bank has announced that these numbers are dropping, extreme poverty is a reality of one-sixth of the world's population.

Why isn't more money given to organizations that help eradicate poverty?

Do you think giving by wealthy donors for projects like building expansion or art collections is warranted? Why do you give to the causes that you give to?

Auto Mechanic Dreams Come True

One of our Right2School students is having the time of his life in secondary school. Not only is he able to go to school, but he is also fulfilling two of his long-awaited dreams at the same time: he is becoming an auto mechanic and getting his drivers license. John Paul states "You have given me a miracle to go to such a good school. I never imagined to be able to go to such a school and to receive my drivers license. It is indeed a miracle."

John Paul is in the auto mechanic section of secondary school. Most schools do not provide an opportunity for students to get their drivers license. In Rwanda it is so important as a mechanic to have your auto license. Usually to do this on your own takes a lot of money and time and there is no guarantee you will pass. At his school the teachers will work with them to pass to obtain their license before they finish the school year.

It brings such happiness to know that even three months ago Jean Paul could not have imagined himself getting the opportunity to become a mechanic or get his drivers license. Through his education he is getting the chance to obtain a profitable job for himself and his future family.

The auto repair business is becoming a popular occupation as the nation continues to develop and increase its economic stability. Jean Paul's future is looking pretty bright.

Are you interested in sponsoring all or a portion of Jean Paul's road to becoming an auto mechanic? Do you have a knack for cars? Are you an auto mechanic? We can get you personally invested in his life.

For more information send an email to matthewh@globalcapacity.org.