"When I was on the streets, I never imagined that I could learn or go back to school. To think about having a future like being a doctor or any other profession wasn't even on my mind." - Joseph, a former street child. Joseph is now one of our top students at the MindLeaps center in Rwanda. He is eager to learn, spending every minute he can either in the dance studio or in the library, devouring every movement and English word he can. Now all he needs is the chance to go back to school.
Joseph dropped out of school after third grade because his family didn't have enough money. He decided to go to the streets. He spent his time begging for money and trying to find enough food to eat, spending many cold nights sleeping in the drains under the streets. Since coming to MindLeaps, he has returned home, but times are still tough. His mom is unemployed and finding enough food is still a challenge his family faces every day.
"I want to go back to school because I know that a person who doesn't learn doesn't have anything in this life." Joseph has big dreams and knows that the chance to go back to school is the only way he'll reach them. Joseph has been selected based on his great performance at MindLeaps to go to boarding school in 2017. This will ensure that he will receive a good education, have a safe place to sleep and eat everyday.
Formal education is very important in Rwanda, a country which is developing rapidly with an increasingly competitive job market. With the chance to go to primary school and then finish secondary school, Joseph will have access to many opportunities in his future. This will change the life of his family as well. With a solid education, he will be able to lift his entire family out of poverty.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
