Amakuru! My name is Annie and I'm so grateful to be a part of The Abana Foundation. In the last 11 years, kids (ages 1-99) from Minnesota and across the USA have raised over $750,000 to support the community of Kibeho, Rwanda with projects such as building a water system and teacher’s dormitories and opening a medical center. Eight years ago we started a feeding program that provides amandazi bread for nearly 1,000 students at the local Nyarushishi Primary School and Blind Children’s School. This feeding program not only provides nourishment to students but has also created many jobs in the village.
Five years ago, my favorite Abana project to date began… The Children’s Academy! This is a place where students from the local school come to have intense learning opportunities in various subjects such as music, art, and especially English. In the summer of 2018, I had the amazing opportunity to be the first English teacher at the Academy. I spent 6 weeks in Rwanda developing relationships and teaching English to over 30 students and was amazed at their joy, passion and eagerness to learn. Margaret, Claude, Rachael, Sedrick, Delphine and all the students along with another incoming class now continue to learn at the Academy with my incredible friend Basa as their teacher.
As a teacher, I truly believe education is such a powerful tool for kids to make a difference in their own community and the world. That’s why I’m so excited about the Abana Scholarship Fund. In order for students in Kibeho to go to high school, they need to pay $600 per year—a nearly impossible amount for families to afford as the average annual household income is $400. That’s why we’ve created the Scholarship Fund to remove the financial barrier for students that pass the national exam. The gift of education is one of the best gifts you can give and with the unbelievable motivation of the students in Rwanda, amazing things are happening!
By joining the All Day FORE Africa summer event, you will help continue feeding our friends in Rwanda through the Abana feeding program AND provide scholarships to over 30 students and counting! And it’s easy… Just register online ($30 feeds one child, once a week for a whole year!), get your free t-shirt, invite your friends to join and then do whatever you love to do! Whether it’s going for a walk, playing a sport, singing, reading or any activity you love… You can do it on July 28th to make a difference.
One more thing that's near to my heart… This kids for kids movement hasn’t only shaped the lives of the people of Rwanda. It has also shaped the hearts of so many kids in the United States who have been empowered to know that they can change the world by doing what they love. Every year at the summer event, you can count on me in tears at some point as I reflect on how beautiful and giving the hearts of kids can be. At Abana, we believe and have witnessed in the last 12 years that you’re truly never too young (or old) to make a difference.
Thank you for considering joining us as we work to empower kids to feed, teach and give HOPE to the people of Rwanda.
