We are grateful for all that has been in this year of 2019. Our generous donors have continued to support the work in Rwanda that benefits so many students and families. This outpouring of care reaches across the miles connecting us in meaningful ways both in the giving and the receiving. Join us in celebrating the highlights of this year and looking forward to the year to come!
In 2019, Urugo Care Rwanda partnered with 24 families by assisting with sponsoring the children in primary and secondary school. The 118 members of these families also received coverage in the government health insurance program.
We sponsored 22 students in primary school which included school fees and other expenses, school materials, uniforms, and igikoma (porridge for breakfast). We also provided additional tutoring for 10 of these students in the subjects of Kinyarwanda (national language) and math.
We sponsored 38 students in secondary school. This sponsorship covers school fees and other expenses, school materials, uniforms, transportation fees, money to buy sportswear and shoes, and personal items. We had 4 students who were attending boarding school for the first time and they additionally received a trunk with padlocks, mattress, sheets, blanket, towels, pillow, and a mosquito net.
We also helped in paying the university registration fee for 5 students.
We celebrated the graduation of 12 students who completed secondary and vocational school in 2018.
We invested in training and increased the responsibilities of national staff in Rwanda to continue overseeing the work with the families and students. We have one full-time staff member (Bosco), one part-time staff member (Jean Claude), a part-time tutor (Grace), and one mama who helps to prepare the igikoma flours each week. We could not do this work without their efforts and dedication!
A few other as-needed benefits were granted this year: one student attended training to get his driving license, one graduate received a sewing machine to use her skills learned in vocational school, one student received transport to continue his vocational studies at a school for film-making/TV broadcasting, and a few folks received help with unexpected medical costs.
These highlights (and many other important small things) would not be possible without the generous support of so many. We share the gratitude of our beneficiaries and remain hopeful that we can continue this partnership for the years to come.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. We hope many blessings come to you in this new year!