Providing Education to 450 Children in Ruhagarika

                     JOIN US IN CELEBRATING 27 YEARS OF SHARING

                                LOVE AND COMPASSION IN ACTION

For my last 27  years with JRMD in serving others, I learnt three important things: (1) Compassion is not about words, Compassion is action; it is about caring for those in need and suffering; (2) There is Joy and Blessings in serving others and helping them find a solution of what they call “Problem”; (3) God is able to make Great Things to happen, through whoever is available to serve Him in obedience.

Compassion is about identifying yourself with those in need and suffering; it is about solidarity;  it is about helping  find the solutions for those who are waiting for a help  and assistance, as you would have tried for your own self.

We started this journey of sharing  Love and Compassion in Action in January 1994,  when Hutu and Tutsi were killing each other and could not live together as they used to be before the war escalated in October in 1993, with the objective to promote peace and reconciliation in a divided nation,  through sharing Love and Compassion in Action.

Through our Journey, we showed the nation of Burundi that it is still possible for Hutu, Tutsi and Twa to live together as they used to live for hundreds years, just as witnessed by our team.

In January 1994, the first 150 homes were built in the location of Kwisumo-Munyinya, in Ruyigi Province, Eastern of Burundi. In the same year, we organized a peace building and reconciliation campaign in all over the country of Burundi during a period of three months. The following year, we organized  a historical Youth Congress which gathered over 1,000 delegates from different countries of Africa.

In the summer of 1999, we built 150 houses in 15 days and  in 2003 we  organized three days youth activities in which over 5,000  young people participated actively to clean the City of Bujumbura. From 1994-2020, we built 3,269 houses for 3,269 families, living in different locations and provinces of Burundi. We sponsored thousands of children with school materials who could not go to school without a such help. Conferences and workshops  related to peace-building and reconciliation were organized for church leaders and lay people. In 2008, we built 40 houses for 40 families  in 40 days with funds raised in 40 days. Between 2008 and 2009 we distributed 122 mattresses to the very needy  families in Carama, a location, where we built over 700 homes. In 2003 We published a peace-building and reconciliation booklet in Kirundi and French, called: “Is It Possible to Live Together Once Again” and 2004, we published another booklet entitled “Risking Our Lives in Order to Save the Lives of Others”. 2004 I had the privilege to meet with a Commission of the Parliament of Netherlands.  In 2006 and 2007 I was nominated Giraffe hero and Ambassador for peace. In 2007 and 2009, I had the privilege to meet the President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza and the Governor of Washington State,  Christine Gregoire.

On September 17, 2012 we opened a school “Iwacu Kazoza School”  with 252 students. Decision to open in 2012 was difficult:

-        Toilets were not completed

-        Full funding was not secured

-        Permanent water system was not ready

-        Did not have school materials

-        Parents begged for the school  to open  -  if the school did not happen their children could not have had access to education

Today, Iwacu Kazoza School is providing education to over 500 underprivileged and orphaned children, who could not have access to education without a help from people like you.

From 1994-2020, many other different projects  were undertaken, such as Goat Project, Women Farming Project, Micro-lending Project, AfricaAmericaExchange Project, etc …

During our Journey of 27 years, thousands of people realized and believed that Jesus-Christ is the foundation of peace and reconciliation.

The work of bringing healing and hope  to a wounded community, through sharing  Love and Compassion continues. This is being done in joining hands together with our partners and friends. Today, we  have two projects that we are undertaking:

1. The construction of Imuhira Iwacu Village  continues. Two blocks made by 6 classrooms each, the dormitory for boys and two rooms for mother caretakers have been completed and all the facilities are serving as classrooms  and offices. The dormitory for girls, dining hall and rooms for mother caretakers are at the level of foundation. To complete the construction of the two blocks remaining, we still need: $113,547

1. To supply clean water at Iwacu Kazoza and the surrounding community from the drilled Well, we still need $57,967. A well has been drilled and water has been found and the  remaining work to be done is to install a water solar pump, pipes and build water tanks to hold the water.

To MAKE a donation, please make a check to FSN/JRMD and mail it to: 217 S. 168 St. Burien, WA 98148 or  click on the following link to make your donation: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/providing-education-to-450-youths-in-ruhagarika/

GlobalGiving is a registered 501(c)3 entity, and donations are fully tax-deductible in the United States.

Our Future Project is to buildIwacu Ruhagarika Hill University. It will be part of Imuhira Iwacu Village. Imuhira Iwacu Village will bring NEW HOPE FOR TODAY'S and TOMORROW’S GENERATIONS in Africa. The village will be comprised  of: Iwacu Kazoza Primary and Secondary School,  Orphanage, Community Center,  Health Center, Iwacu Ruhagarika Hill University. It will be a true Village for hope and positive change for AFRICA. At the completion of Imuhira Iwacu Village, it will look as follows:

https://www.facebook.com/238561311217/photos/a.10154295685856218/10156342764396218/?type=3&theater

We are very thankful to God for enabling us and our partners to accomplish all of these, as detailed in this document report. May the Glory and Honor be to God forever.

Prosper Ndabishuriye

General Coordinator  and Founder