By Rebecca Davis | Executive Director
Last holiday season, we shared with you the story of Kayitare, a street boy in Rwanda who had shown incredible progress and was entirely deserving of a proper education. We are thrilled to inform you that we raised the full $900 needed for Kayitare to go to school. Thank you!
Kayitare started school at ORP Care, an excellent school in the Eastern part of Rwanda in a town called Rwamagana. He joined three other MindLeaps students enrolled there on scholarships: Ali, Joseph and Samuel.
In the past, going to school was just a dream for Kayitare that would probably never come true. After fourth grade, Kayitare dropped out of school and spent his time on the streets because his family didn't have enough money to pay school fees. There are six children in his family and only two go to school.
Kayitare joined MindLeaps because he heard that MindLeaps helped children like him. At MindLeaps, he worked hard and excelled. His mindset started to change, and over time, he saw himself as a “student” instead of a “street boy”.
We wish you could have seen Kayitare’s reaction when he was told that people all over the world had donated money to give him the chance to go to school. He was overjoyed. He asked if he could meet every donor on GlobalGiving.
Kayitare is one of our luckier students in that he has a living parent. In the photo below, you can see our Country Director, Eugene, discussing the school options and choices with the parents of MindLeaps students, including Kayitare’s father.
Because of you, Kayitare has made the permanent transition from the street to school. These dollars will pay for an entire year of tuition, daily meals, a safe place to sleep in the dormitory, new clothes and shoes, transportation to the East from Kigali, and school materials. When Kayitare arrived at ORP, he was excited to receive a solid meal. For the first time in his life, he will get three of these everyday!
Kayitare is an ambitious young man, who has mentioned different career goals at different times – from professional dancer, to mechanical engineer, to policymaker: "I want to finish school so that I can become a leader who builds peace and security in my country." Thanks to your support, you are making his dreams come true.
Special thanks to Jesse, Andre, Kathryn, Arvy, Michelle, Marc, Joan, Francine, Alice, Caitlyn, Cassidy, Royce, Briana, Nicole, Dane, Gregory and MANY MORE!
If you would like to receive regular updates about Kayitare throughout the year, please send an email to davis@mindleaps.org.
Thank you!
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