Thank You to everyone who donated to GRDP and gave gifts for the kids that I met at the orphanage. Every contribution helped and we've been able to reach out to many entrepreneurs, an orphanage, and a domestic violence foundation. It's amazing how much we packed into 10 days and all thanks to the help of many friends and family members who supported me and GRDP. Please know that you have made a difference and I really appreciate your help.
If you haven't made a donation to GRDP yet, please do - the donate button is on the right. My fundraising efforts will continue until at least May, 2010.
If you would like to forward this blog to your friends/family, please do. The more awareness I can generate the more we can all help Rwanda and it's people.
I have arrived in Kenya and will be on holiday for the next 10 days before heading back to Canada. I don't plan to check email, etc until I get back, but if I do I'll be sure to update you on my Kenyan safari.
All the best and happy holidays.
XO
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
last time on computer - maybe...
We're about to leave the internet cafe and may not have access to email again until I get home, although I suspect we'll find something in Kenya!
Heading on a safari vacation for the next 2 weeks...Happy Holidays!
Heading on a safari vacation for the next 2 weeks...Happy Holidays!
Last day in Rwanda and sad to be leaving
We’ve had a successful trip and I believe we’ve accomplished everything we came here to do for GRDP and more – entrepreneurs are excited about their coaching program, we had a fantastic presentation with over 50% of the room registering for the 2010 workshops, and we’ve managed to arrange meetings with so many entreprenreurs in the country. This was a great start to what I know will be a success for GRDP in Rwanda and for the entrepreneurs that start to work with the business mentors that will come from North America to help create sustainable, self-reliant businesses.
Two of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since being here – While I can’t save/help everyone, I have the ability to change someone’s perspective and/or add some value to their lives by providing the knowledge I do have, which can help in ways I never imagined. All it takes is helping one person and asking them to pass it on. It's really that easy.
The other lesson – I agree that it’s important to “help those close to home” but fortunately in North America we have so many resources and organizations that are set up to help anyone in just about any situation, but in Rwanda (and other developing countries) people have nothing, absolutely nothing, and many struggle each day to eat and stay alive. The hardest thing for me this past week has been meeting children (teenagers even) who aren’t going to school because they can’t afford it or because they’re so poor they can’t afford shoes or even a pen, etc so the teacher(s) won’t allow them in the class. It’s appalling and I get so mad that this is allowed to happen – but I’m not sure if I’m angrier at kids in developed countries who take education for granted (I’m sure I was one of them), the government for not providing education to their citizens, or to the developed world for not paying attention, ignoring what they know, and for not taking action to send one child to school.
Few Random tidbits:
1. Health insurance is required for everyone. It costs $2/yr and many people cannot afford it.
2. Elizabeth brought toothbrushes for the kids and they LOVE them.
4. In Rwanda, it’s common to see men holding hands or walking arm-in-arm – this is a sign of trust and respect for your friendship.
5. In 2010 the school system is switching to English and French will no longer be taught.
6. Kigali is more expensive than I imagined and it’s because resources are low so it forces prices up.
Two of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since being here – While I can’t save/help everyone, I have the ability to change someone’s perspective and/or add some value to their lives by providing the knowledge I do have, which can help in ways I never imagined. All it takes is helping one person and asking them to pass it on. It's really that easy.
The other lesson – I agree that it’s important to “help those close to home” but fortunately in North America we have so many resources and organizations that are set up to help anyone in just about any situation, but in Rwanda (and other developing countries) people have nothing, absolutely nothing, and many struggle each day to eat and stay alive. The hardest thing for me this past week has been meeting children (teenagers even) who aren’t going to school because they can’t afford it or because they’re so poor they can’t afford shoes or even a pen, etc so the teacher(s) won’t allow them in the class. It’s appalling and I get so mad that this is allowed to happen – but I’m not sure if I’m angrier at kids in developed countries who take education for granted (I’m sure I was one of them), the government for not providing education to their citizens, or to the developed world for not paying attention, ignoring what they know, and for not taking action to send one child to school.
Few Random tidbits:
1. Health insurance is required for everyone. It costs $2/yr and many people cannot afford it.
2. Elizabeth brought toothbrushes for the kids and they LOVE them.
4. In Rwanda, it’s common to see men holding hands or walking arm-in-arm – this is a sign of trust and respect for your friendship.
5. In 2010 the school system is switching to English and French will no longer be taught.
6. Kigali is more expensive than I imagined and it’s because resources are low so it forces prices up.
Saturday - a day of culture
We took a day “off” today and had in incredible time.
President Kagame started a national process, which was already in place on a small scale, where the entire country comes together once a month to clean the city streets. So one Saturday a month, from 8am-noon the entire city shuts down and cleans. For us, this meant we had to leave the house at 7am, drive to our destination and stay there until at least noon. It’s a good thing we didn’t have the energy to go out Friday night!
In the morning, we visited a private medical clinic in the city. The funds raised from this clinic support a foundation that helps (through counseling, etc) women and their children who have been sexually and physically abused, often by their husband, father or close friend or family member. When we arrived we were greeted by 40 women and children who had prepared a show for us, complete with plays, poems, singing, dancing, and gifts. The kids taught us to dance, which we have on video (unfortunately!!) and we bought some of their handicrafts to help support their cooperative. They are learning to design jewelry, baskets, and blankets to sell in the local markets to support one another.
It was here that we heard stories about more kids who are not able to attend school – imagine being 14 and you’ve never stepped foot in a school. It’s heartbreaking.
In the evening, we attended a Rwandan wedding reception. Elizabeth wore a traditional dress – I was planning too but had costume malfunctions and pieces’ missing so wasn’t able to. The wedding was gorgeous and although there were some western style dresses and outfits, Rwandans dress in their best for a wedding. The reception was held in a wedding hall that sloped downwards somewhat like a concert hall. Tribal dancers followed the bride, groom and wedding party down to the head table and then entertained the entire congregation – apparently for about 3 hrs but we only stayed an hour. Food was not served but hosts came around to see what type of Fanta drink we preferred (orange, sprite or coke!), and the entire ceremony was in Kinyarwanda so I have no idea what was said!
I thought it was strange that the bridal party was not smiling during the ceremony but was later told that it’s inappropriate to smile towards the crowd of guests because it means that you are looking for another – another husband or wife. Even the bride and groom aren’t supposed to smile or flirt with another at the ceremony. Also, there were two tables of family members set up but they were all men so I was wondering where the mothers of the bride and groom were – turns out all the women sit behind the men.
President Kagame started a national process, which was already in place on a small scale, where the entire country comes together once a month to clean the city streets. So one Saturday a month, from 8am-noon the entire city shuts down and cleans. For us, this meant we had to leave the house at 7am, drive to our destination and stay there until at least noon. It’s a good thing we didn’t have the energy to go out Friday night!
In the morning, we visited a private medical clinic in the city. The funds raised from this clinic support a foundation that helps (through counseling, etc) women and their children who have been sexually and physically abused, often by their husband, father or close friend or family member. When we arrived we were greeted by 40 women and children who had prepared a show for us, complete with plays, poems, singing, dancing, and gifts. The kids taught us to dance, which we have on video (unfortunately!!) and we bought some of their handicrafts to help support their cooperative. They are learning to design jewelry, baskets, and blankets to sell in the local markets to support one another.
It was here that we heard stories about more kids who are not able to attend school – imagine being 14 and you’ve never stepped foot in a school. It’s heartbreaking.
In the evening, we attended a Rwandan wedding reception. Elizabeth wore a traditional dress – I was planning too but had costume malfunctions and pieces’ missing so wasn’t able to. The wedding was gorgeous and although there were some western style dresses and outfits, Rwandans dress in their best for a wedding. The reception was held in a wedding hall that sloped downwards somewhat like a concert hall. Tribal dancers followed the bride, groom and wedding party down to the head table and then entertained the entire congregation – apparently for about 3 hrs but we only stayed an hour. Food was not served but hosts came around to see what type of Fanta drink we preferred (orange, sprite or coke!), and the entire ceremony was in Kinyarwanda so I have no idea what was said!
I thought it was strange that the bridal party was not smiling during the ceremony but was later told that it’s inappropriate to smile towards the crowd of guests because it means that you are looking for another – another husband or wife. Even the bride and groom aren’t supposed to smile or flirt with another at the ceremony. Also, there were two tables of family members set up but they were all men so I was wondering where the mothers of the bride and groom were – turns out all the women sit behind the men.
Friday - back to Gisimba
As I mentioned in earlier post, we went back to Gisimba Orphanage, and while I can’t tell you all the details of the meeting with another survivor (out of respect for his privacy), I can tell you that his story of survival is one of the most compelling and heroic tales I’ve heard this week.
Nearly 16 years after the genocide, he now tells his story and sees it as a healing process. To give you an idea of the absurdity of this racism which led to the 1994 genocide, his older brother had to hide him in the roof of the orphanage for a month because "brother 1" had “Tutsi” features while his brother looked more like a Hutu (it was the Hutus that were killing the Tutsis in 1994). According to the Belgians, who ruled this small country for many years, the Tutsi were superior and had “European” features while the Hutus had rounder features and were inferior – for the record, none of these “features” they measured had any validity and they often mistakenly placed Hutus with the Tutsi tribe, and vice versa, solely based on the shape and size of their nose and foreheads, etc.
"Brother 1" is extremely humble and doesn’t see himself as a hero, and in his words “what could we do, we had to help them.”
As we were speaking with "brother 1" one of the survivors that sought refuge at Gisimba joined us and recounted the story of her maid/friend being killed in front of her, her husband’s murder and her escape with her one year old son. Fortunately, they made it to Gisimba and survived. Her son, now 15, is going to school and likes to study science and technology. She smiles as she tells the story but you can see the pain in her eyes and that she is struggling to hold back her tears. Later, we were told that while she was hiding at Gisimba she lost so much weight that she looked and acted like a child and was able to blend in with the other children, which was the only thing that saved her from being killed.
There is a lot of healing that still needs to take place in Rwanda and it’s interesting that many people will tell their stories about what personally happened to them in 1994, but none will show emotion.
After hearing stories like this it’s difficult to switch your brain and go into “work mode,” but it’s important to remember that most people, at least the ones we’ve met, are trying to create a new Rwanda, a Rwanda that is safe, that is prosperous, and that has learned from it’s past and not forgotten, but that is moving forward.
The remainder of the day was spent meeting with business owners – one Elizabeth and I wished we had met earlier - someone who could provide us with a virtual office!
Nearly 16 years after the genocide, he now tells his story and sees it as a healing process. To give you an idea of the absurdity of this racism which led to the 1994 genocide, his older brother had to hide him in the roof of the orphanage for a month because "brother 1" had “Tutsi” features while his brother looked more like a Hutu (it was the Hutus that were killing the Tutsis in 1994). According to the Belgians, who ruled this small country for many years, the Tutsi were superior and had “European” features while the Hutus had rounder features and were inferior – for the record, none of these “features” they measured had any validity and they often mistakenly placed Hutus with the Tutsi tribe, and vice versa, solely based on the shape and size of their nose and foreheads, etc.
"Brother 1" is extremely humble and doesn’t see himself as a hero, and in his words “what could we do, we had to help them.”
As we were speaking with "brother 1" one of the survivors that sought refuge at Gisimba joined us and recounted the story of her maid/friend being killed in front of her, her husband’s murder and her escape with her one year old son. Fortunately, they made it to Gisimba and survived. Her son, now 15, is going to school and likes to study science and technology. She smiles as she tells the story but you can see the pain in her eyes and that she is struggling to hold back her tears. Later, we were told that while she was hiding at Gisimba she lost so much weight that she looked and acted like a child and was able to blend in with the other children, which was the only thing that saved her from being killed.
There is a lot of healing that still needs to take place in Rwanda and it’s interesting that many people will tell their stories about what personally happened to them in 1994, but none will show emotion.
After hearing stories like this it’s difficult to switch your brain and go into “work mode,” but it’s important to remember that most people, at least the ones we’ve met, are trying to create a new Rwanda, a Rwanda that is safe, that is prosperous, and that has learned from it’s past and not forgotten, but that is moving forward.
The remainder of the day was spent meeting with business owners – one Elizabeth and I wished we had met earlier - someone who could provide us with a virtual office!
Thursday - post presentation
After the presentation we took the afternoon to meet with entrepreneurs to discuss their businesses and what they want out of our coaching program. One woman, who was born and raised in the US but whose father is Rwandan and mother is Ugandan, decided to move to Rwanda to live permanently and is in the process of starting an ad agency. Others we met with are in event management, pharmaceuticals, IT, and land development, to name a few.
The amount of construction and trade that is happening is incredible and, judging by the number of foreigners visiting, it’s obvious that change is in the air.
Elizabeth and I have had many virtual offices over the week including the back of cars, an American coffee shop with wireless internet, friend’s office space, and random tables around the house we’re staying in. All this mobility has made me miss the days of business travel with a blackberry, a computer, and an airline ticket in hand.
After our last meeting in the evening, we visited Ivuka Arts to pick up a piece that’s been donated to Art for Africa by one of Rwanda’s top artists, and of course to browse for personal pieces too!
The amount of construction and trade that is happening is incredible and, judging by the number of foreigners visiting, it’s obvious that change is in the air.
Elizabeth and I have had many virtual offices over the week including the back of cars, an American coffee shop with wireless internet, friend’s office space, and random tables around the house we’re staying in. All this mobility has made me miss the days of business travel with a blackberry, a computer, and an airline ticket in hand.
After our last meeting in the evening, we visited Ivuka Arts to pick up a piece that’s been donated to Art for Africa by one of Rwanda’s top artists, and of course to browse for personal pieces too!
Wednesday: Vacation, what vacation?
It's been difficult to get to on internet long enough to catch up on writing so here's what has been happening over the last few days - days are out of order, sorry.
We had another full day of meetings – one with a local entrepreneur who makes baskets and jewelry that are sold to Macy’s in the US, we interviewed two candidates for a Program Coordinator position for GRDP, had a private visit with the Buranga woman who make hand-made jewelry sold to Keza in the US, and we managed to get to bed before 2am for the first time this week! It’s amazing how refreshing a 6-7hr sleep is.
Gahaya Links – Joy and Janet started their basket weaving business that now sells to Macy's and other fine retailers abroad. Here's an excerpt from their site: http://gahayalinks.com/
Gahaya Links Limited; a for-profit Rwandan handicraft company based on the simple principle of women economic empowerment through fair-trade. Our products are knitted in traditional, authentic Rwandan patterns and are of high quality to ensure a sustainable market for the Gahaya Links weavers. Crafted products include beautifully woven baskets, home décor, jewelry and textiles.
The interview process is similar to North America however the layout of the resumes provided information about their religious beliefs, nationality, and even the names of their parents. I suspect this goes back to the strife between the Hutus and the Tutsis when identity cards were in place for all Rwandans.
Meeting the Buranga women was both an honour and a privilege. This co-op started after the genocide when the woman, all survivors that have been raped and/or worked as prostitutes to make money, came together as a bible study/support group. While studying, they also made jewelry to help support one another and feed their children.
A private and secured meeting was pre-arranged for us so we got to see first hand how 35 women sit in a small room, each one working on her specific job, to create gorgeous jewelry that has been showcased in O Magazine and by the executive of Prada.
As we drove through the private gate, marked with embossed hearts, the women all stood and greeted us with a beautiful song – none of which I understood because it was sung in the local language Kinyarwanda. What surprised me most about these women was how they could have passed for anyone’s sister, mother, grandmother or friend. Their faces were the faces of anyone you see on the street.
We had another full day of meetings – one with a local entrepreneur who makes baskets and jewelry that are sold to Macy’s in the US, we interviewed two candidates for a Program Coordinator position for GRDP, had a private visit with the Buranga woman who make hand-made jewelry sold to Keza in the US, and we managed to get to bed before 2am for the first time this week! It’s amazing how refreshing a 6-7hr sleep is.
Gahaya Links – Joy and Janet started their basket weaving business that now sells to Macy's and other fine retailers abroad. Here's an excerpt from their site: http://gahayalinks.com/
Gahaya Links Limited; a for-profit Rwandan handicraft company based on the simple principle of women economic empowerment through fair-trade. Our products are knitted in traditional, authentic Rwandan patterns and are of high quality to ensure a sustainable market for the Gahaya Links weavers. Crafted products include beautifully woven baskets, home décor, jewelry and textiles.
The interview process is similar to North America however the layout of the resumes provided information about their religious beliefs, nationality, and even the names of their parents. I suspect this goes back to the strife between the Hutus and the Tutsis when identity cards were in place for all Rwandans.
Meeting the Buranga women was both an honour and a privilege. This co-op started after the genocide when the woman, all survivors that have been raped and/or worked as prostitutes to make money, came together as a bible study/support group. While studying, they also made jewelry to help support one another and feed their children.
A private and secured meeting was pre-arranged for us so we got to see first hand how 35 women sit in a small room, each one working on her specific job, to create gorgeous jewelry that has been showcased in O Magazine and by the executive of Prada.
As we drove through the private gate, marked with embossed hearts, the women all stood and greeted us with a beautiful song – none of which I understood because it was sung in the local language Kinyarwanda. What surprised me most about these women was how they could have passed for anyone’s sister, mother, grandmother or friend. Their faces were the faces of anyone you see on the street.
Friday, December 18, 2009
quick hello
Hi,
The days have been so long and we haven't had an opportunity to get to an internet connection since my last post. I'm in the middle of writing my next blog post but since our days have been really long I'm going to bed to get more than 4hrs of sleep and will post more info about the last few days tomorrow.
I believe I told you about our visit to Gisimba orphanage the other day, well we went back there today and took a UK journalist to hear their incredible story. It's too long to go into now but I promise to tell you more about their story in the next few days.
Elizabeth arranged a meeting for the journalist so he could hear their story and (hopefully) write an article about this special place. We are trying to help them raise money for food, education and computers, among other things, so they can sustain themselves and so the kids who live there have a future brighter than what the compound wall's offer.
When we got back to the house where we are staying, we sat with Paradis, the woman who is renting the house to us, and talked about the many orphanages in Kigali and about our goal for Gisimba. However, it occurred to me that we also have to be aware of the impact our actions may have on them if they do become sustainable and can provide food and education to all the children that live there, because they may end up with worse problems than they already have. For example, they may find that they will have many more children come to them for help, despite the lack of capacity, and they may even find that parents will send their children there just to feed and educate them. Rwanda is a developing country and although their goal is to be middle-income by 2020, they are still extremely poor and many go without food on a regular basis.
Our goal is to help this famous orphanage but I think it's also important to know how to face the impact we can have on them and plan for all scenarios - whether or not they're the ones we want.
I love that every Rwandan has a story and that each one is unique...more to come...
Good Night.
The days have been so long and we haven't had an opportunity to get to an internet connection since my last post. I'm in the middle of writing my next blog post but since our days have been really long I'm going to bed to get more than 4hrs of sleep and will post more info about the last few days tomorrow.
I believe I told you about our visit to Gisimba orphanage the other day, well we went back there today and took a UK journalist to hear their incredible story. It's too long to go into now but I promise to tell you more about their story in the next few days.
Elizabeth arranged a meeting for the journalist so he could hear their story and (hopefully) write an article about this special place. We are trying to help them raise money for food, education and computers, among other things, so they can sustain themselves and so the kids who live there have a future brighter than what the compound wall's offer.
When we got back to the house where we are staying, we sat with Paradis, the woman who is renting the house to us, and talked about the many orphanages in Kigali and about our goal for Gisimba. However, it occurred to me that we also have to be aware of the impact our actions may have on them if they do become sustainable and can provide food and education to all the children that live there, because they may end up with worse problems than they already have. For example, they may find that they will have many more children come to them for help, despite the lack of capacity, and they may even find that parents will send their children there just to feed and educate them. Rwanda is a developing country and although their goal is to be middle-income by 2020, they are still extremely poor and many go without food on a regular basis.
Our goal is to help this famous orphanage but I think it's also important to know how to face the impact we can have on them and plan for all scenarios - whether or not they're the ones we want.
I love that every Rwandan has a story and that each one is unique...more to come...
Good Night.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Thursday - We did what we came here to do.
Sorry for the "work speak" in this post but we're off to another meeting and I want to share our huge success with you, after all this is what I originally came here for.
This morning Elizabeth and I did what we came here to do. We presented the Strategic Coach/GRDP coaching concepts to 79 people and had 40 entrepreneurs register for the 2010 workshop series (with 10-15 more applications to come). For those of us that have been to a TSC road show, this had all of the magic of impromptu testimonials, an engaged audience, and a 50% registration goal set and achieved. Throughout the morning, many people told me this was an historic moment for Rwanda because they had never seen a room full of business owners from all different industries, students, and community leaders (including the headmaster of the English school and a Bishop).
In Rwanda it’s not common to network and share information and knowledge like we do in Canada and the US. People are private and shy in a group setting and they don’t want to speak in public and share their ideas.
Unlike networking occasions in North America, people here find their seat and stay there until the end of the presentation, then get up and leave – maybe introducing themselves to the people at their table or sitting with those they know.
The presentation was a huge hit. Sindrali, a GRDP client and dear friend of Dave Ormesher’s, and now mine and Elizabeth’s too, started the morning with an introduction, next the headmaster of the English school led the crowd in a group prayer. Rwanda is a Christian based society and it reflects in their day-to-day lives. Elizabeth followed with an introduction about the partnership between Strategic Coach and GRDP and about the importance of the concepts being brought to Rwanda and why they’re important to the community of entrepreneurs here and the growth and vision they have for their country.
Following, I presented The Missing Link and What’s the Point. We covered the R-Factor and DOS and it was wonderful to see heads nodding, people smiling and generally engaged in what we have to offer them, individually and collectively. At first, very few would share their thoughts, but as people saw the vision of sharing their struggles with other entrepreneurs, they started to engage more and more.
Towards the end, a beautifully positioned but unplanned “testimonial” was provided by a well-respected community member who stood and urged everyone in the room to register today and create their Bigger Future. He explained that he didn’t know us personally, and wasn’t getting paid to speak(!), but “we must learn about relationships and sharing and this is what businesses in Rwanda need. These women have brought us a message and we must learn so we will grow.” His “stamp of approval” for the message brought applause and nods of approval.
As proof of the message getting across and being internalized, at the end of the presentation many people stayed to network and speak about their business, not just with me and Elizabeth but with one another. They understand the value of building relationships and their actions showed that they are ready and eager to create change and growth.
Rwanda has a powerful group of skilled and adept entrepreneurs who have the raw materials that we see in successful entrepreneurs everyday in North America. Add the relationships and mentoring from GRDP and the tools of TSC and Rwanda has a great future ahead of it!
This morning Elizabeth and I did what we came here to do. We presented the Strategic Coach/GRDP coaching concepts to 79 people and had 40 entrepreneurs register for the 2010 workshop series (with 10-15 more applications to come). For those of us that have been to a TSC road show, this had all of the magic of impromptu testimonials, an engaged audience, and a 50% registration goal set and achieved. Throughout the morning, many people told me this was an historic moment for Rwanda because they had never seen a room full of business owners from all different industries, students, and community leaders (including the headmaster of the English school and a Bishop).
In Rwanda it’s not common to network and share information and knowledge like we do in Canada and the US. People are private and shy in a group setting and they don’t want to speak in public and share their ideas.
Unlike networking occasions in North America, people here find their seat and stay there until the end of the presentation, then get up and leave – maybe introducing themselves to the people at their table or sitting with those they know.
The presentation was a huge hit. Sindrali, a GRDP client and dear friend of Dave Ormesher’s, and now mine and Elizabeth’s too, started the morning with an introduction, next the headmaster of the English school led the crowd in a group prayer. Rwanda is a Christian based society and it reflects in their day-to-day lives. Elizabeth followed with an introduction about the partnership between Strategic Coach and GRDP and about the importance of the concepts being brought to Rwanda and why they’re important to the community of entrepreneurs here and the growth and vision they have for their country.
Following, I presented The Missing Link and What’s the Point. We covered the R-Factor and DOS and it was wonderful to see heads nodding, people smiling and generally engaged in what we have to offer them, individually and collectively. At first, very few would share their thoughts, but as people saw the vision of sharing their struggles with other entrepreneurs, they started to engage more and more.
Towards the end, a beautifully positioned but unplanned “testimonial” was provided by a well-respected community member who stood and urged everyone in the room to register today and create their Bigger Future. He explained that he didn’t know us personally, and wasn’t getting paid to speak(!), but “we must learn about relationships and sharing and this is what businesses in Rwanda need. These women have brought us a message and we must learn so we will grow.” His “stamp of approval” for the message brought applause and nods of approval.
As proof of the message getting across and being internalized, at the end of the presentation many people stayed to network and speak about their business, not just with me and Elizabeth but with one another. They understand the value of building relationships and their actions showed that they are ready and eager to create change and growth.
Rwanda has a powerful group of skilled and adept entrepreneurs who have the raw materials that we see in successful entrepreneurs everyday in North America. Add the relationships and mentoring from GRDP and the tools of TSC and Rwanda has a great future ahead of it!
Tuesday (I'm a little behind)
The last few days have been so busy and I’m hitting near exhaustion, but the days have also been some of the best in my life. I keep joking that I want to move here because it feels like home. Maybe I’m not joking entirely. :)
What I love about this country is not only its esthetic beauty but the people. They are THE kindest, warmest, giving people despite their past and what they’ve overcome. Throughout the week I’ve often wondered why they’re so happy, why they are so giving, and so open. If I was a survivor of the genocide and my friends and family were killed and/or raped I’m not sure I’d be as peaceful as the people we’ve met.
Here is what we did on Tueday - Wednesday will come soon.
Tuesday
We met with a 27 year old American entrepreneur who has lived in Kigali for seven years and is creating solar energy technology for people living in rural communities. There is no electricity in most of Rwanda so his service is invaluable to those that need to charge cell phones, have a light in their house, and cook food. His goal is to provide solar energy to the developing world.
One of the most touching experiences so far this week was our visit to Gisimba Orphanage. Gisimba Jr. saved over 400 people, mostly children, from the Hutu extremists in 1994 by piling them into small rooms the size of closets. He would inter-mix the Tutsi and Hutu children so the Tutsi kids got a few minutes of light each day before they were sent back into hiding. Many times throughout the four months the militia groups would bang on the door and threaten Gisimba’s life with guns and machetes because they knew he was hiding Tutsi’s within the orphanage’s walls. Today, Gisimba houses 130+ orphans and many of the children sleep together because their capacity is built for 100.
What impacted me the most was the education for the kids in Rwanda and especially those that can’t afford the tuition fees. Education is not free here and the cost for a decent school that will provide an education and skills to get a low paying job, cost USD$660/yr per student, which includes tuition, clothing, school supplies, food and housing.
While we were there, I met a 15 year old Burundi girl who lost her entire family to war -or so she thinks. In reality she has no idea where her parents are or if they’re alive. She travelled to Rwanda on her own because she was told this is where she is from by a man who was her caretaker a short time before his death. At 15 this young girl left everything she knows and came to Kigali to “find herself.” And not find herself in the sense of a post-University European vacation, she literally wants to find out who she is and where she’s from. She isn’t going to school because the orphanage can’t afford to send her. For me, this was heartbreaking and I want to do everything I can to raise the money for this girl so she can get her education and go to University.
A huge thank you to Michael for providing the soccer balls for the kids and to Kristen's class at Hapnot Collegiate for the box of school supplies and the balloons. The balls and balloons provided hours of fun for the kids and they were so happy to receive them. I'll send/post pictures when I return in January.
I encourage you to google Gisimbia because he has in incredible story and he's in the Holocaust Meseum in the US.
After an emotional and inspiration day, we met with the owner of the solar energy company at an incredible Indian restaurant to speak further about how his business is going to impact poorer communities around the country.
Random Information:
1. It’s illegal not to wear shoes in the capital city, Kigali. (People in rural areas don’t often wear shoes)
2. Toilet seat in private homes are covered with a terry cloth for comfort – much like the old, plastic ones you see in old lady’s houses in North America.
3. Driving – WOW I’m glad we have a driver because the drivers and motorcycles are all over the place and will come within inches of hitting each other on the road. Driving accidents are the most common way to get hurt in Rwanda. It’s one of the safest countries in Africa and the world. 4. I love the woman that carrying their baby on the back in a scarf that’s been tied around their waste, a water bottle on their head and they are walking uphill. I’ll try to get a picture of these but it’s harder than you’d think.
5. The temperature at this time of year is around 20C and in the "summer" it's approx. 29C.
What I love about this country is not only its esthetic beauty but the people. They are THE kindest, warmest, giving people despite their past and what they’ve overcome. Throughout the week I’ve often wondered why they’re so happy, why they are so giving, and so open. If I was a survivor of the genocide and my friends and family were killed and/or raped I’m not sure I’d be as peaceful as the people we’ve met.
Here is what we did on Tueday - Wednesday will come soon.
Tuesday
We met with a 27 year old American entrepreneur who has lived in Kigali for seven years and is creating solar energy technology for people living in rural communities. There is no electricity in most of Rwanda so his service is invaluable to those that need to charge cell phones, have a light in their house, and cook food. His goal is to provide solar energy to the developing world.
One of the most touching experiences so far this week was our visit to Gisimba Orphanage. Gisimba Jr. saved over 400 people, mostly children, from the Hutu extremists in 1994 by piling them into small rooms the size of closets. He would inter-mix the Tutsi and Hutu children so the Tutsi kids got a few minutes of light each day before they were sent back into hiding. Many times throughout the four months the militia groups would bang on the door and threaten Gisimba’s life with guns and machetes because they knew he was hiding Tutsi’s within the orphanage’s walls. Today, Gisimba houses 130+ orphans and many of the children sleep together because their capacity is built for 100.
What impacted me the most was the education for the kids in Rwanda and especially those that can’t afford the tuition fees. Education is not free here and the cost for a decent school that will provide an education and skills to get a low paying job, cost USD$660/yr per student, which includes tuition, clothing, school supplies, food and housing.
While we were there, I met a 15 year old Burundi girl who lost her entire family to war -or so she thinks. In reality she has no idea where her parents are or if they’re alive. She travelled to Rwanda on her own because she was told this is where she is from by a man who was her caretaker a short time before his death. At 15 this young girl left everything she knows and came to Kigali to “find herself.” And not find herself in the sense of a post-University European vacation, she literally wants to find out who she is and where she’s from. She isn’t going to school because the orphanage can’t afford to send her. For me, this was heartbreaking and I want to do everything I can to raise the money for this girl so she can get her education and go to University.
A huge thank you to Michael for providing the soccer balls for the kids and to Kristen's class at Hapnot Collegiate for the box of school supplies and the balloons. The balls and balloons provided hours of fun for the kids and they were so happy to receive them. I'll send/post pictures when I return in January.
I encourage you to google Gisimbia because he has in incredible story and he's in the Holocaust Meseum in the US.
After an emotional and inspiration day, we met with the owner of the solar energy company at an incredible Indian restaurant to speak further about how his business is going to impact poorer communities around the country.
Random Information:
1. It’s illegal not to wear shoes in the capital city, Kigali. (People in rural areas don’t often wear shoes)
2. Toilet seat in private homes are covered with a terry cloth for comfort – much like the old, plastic ones you see in old lady’s houses in North America.
3. Driving – WOW I’m glad we have a driver because the drivers and motorcycles are all over the place and will come within inches of hitting each other on the road. Driving accidents are the most common way to get hurt in Rwanda. It’s one of the safest countries in Africa and the world. 4. I love the woman that carrying their baby on the back in a scarf that’s been tied around their waste, a water bottle on their head and they are walking uphill. I’ll try to get a picture of these but it’s harder than you’d think.
5. The temperature at this time of year is around 20C and in the "summer" it's approx. 29C.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday - Rwanda - a new vision
The internet here is hit or miss because the country is currently on satellite internet. However, they are digging trenches for fiber optic cables which are coming from Mombasa, Kenya to Kigali, Rwanda, and any day we will be on high-speed internet.
Yesterday we spent the morning at the genocide museum here in Kigali and the afternoon at a church in the small rural town of Nyamata. Our host for the day, Donat, is a Congalese business owner who runs a family oil distribution company in Rwanda (he is the eldest of 13). Donat moved here in late 1994 after the genocide (June-August, 1994) and had never been to the church so it was a powerful experience for all of us.
In 1994, 4,000 Tutsi’s and Hutu moderates hid in this church. The Catholic priest and nuns that ran the church “sold them out” and militia came and killed them inside the main chapel. There is still blood on the walls and the alter cloth is stained from a woman who was brutally raped and then her 3 month old baby killed.
Behind the church is a mass grave for the 40,000 victims of Nyamata and the people that were killed in the church are laid to rest here. Inside the church, are piles of clothes from the 40,000 victims. It was heart breaking to see these layers of hats, socks, underwear, pants and shirts that are blood stained and soiled.
This is the recent past for Rwanda, but not their identity for today. Donat was obviously impacted by this site and our car ride back to Kigali was quiet, but as we drove through the fields, watching people go about their daily chores and lives we started talking about the future and hope that you can see everywhere. Donat is planning to build a business school and medical clinic soon. He, and a group of (approx) 10 other Christian business men, have bought land for the project and it was a thrill to see and hear his dream and vision as we stood on a hill that overlooks his future business school. We have taken many pictures of the day and video which I’ll upload when I return in January
Later in the evening, we went to dinner with Sindrali, an architect (he built the genocide memorial) and his wife Imaculee owns and runs an Aids clinic in Kigali. Sindrali talked about the “devil coming to Rwanda in 1994,” how there there is hope for Rwanda, and how “God has now filled their hearts” (referring to those that lived through the genocide as well as the persecutors. Both Sindrali and Imaculee have dedicated their lives and businesses to helping grow their country. Imaculee, who is a doctor and was training in the Congo, is working on an aids project with Harvard University’s public health department and is earnestly awaiting the results of a multi-multi international study they have been working on to discover “what the effects of not treating AIDS in children today will be on the burden of the health system in the future.”
After dinner, on our way home we came across a car accident. A car full of men had crashed into a ditch and the car was tilted on its side. Sindrali stopped immediately to see if they needed help and Imaculee was alert to see if she would be needed. After a short time, Sindrali came back to tell us that the men were drunk but that none of them were hurt, just stupefied. In turns out there are no tow trucks to call and they would be arrested if they called the authorities.
It’s hard to believe I’ve only been here a few days because I feel like I’ve been here a lifetime, and I look forward to the rest of the week and all Rwanda and it's people have to teach me.
Yesterday we spent the morning at the genocide museum here in Kigali and the afternoon at a church in the small rural town of Nyamata. Our host for the day, Donat, is a Congalese business owner who runs a family oil distribution company in Rwanda (he is the eldest of 13). Donat moved here in late 1994 after the genocide (June-August, 1994) and had never been to the church so it was a powerful experience for all of us.
In 1994, 4,000 Tutsi’s and Hutu moderates hid in this church. The Catholic priest and nuns that ran the church “sold them out” and militia came and killed them inside the main chapel. There is still blood on the walls and the alter cloth is stained from a woman who was brutally raped and then her 3 month old baby killed.
Behind the church is a mass grave for the 40,000 victims of Nyamata and the people that were killed in the church are laid to rest here. Inside the church, are piles of clothes from the 40,000 victims. It was heart breaking to see these layers of hats, socks, underwear, pants and shirts that are blood stained and soiled.
This is the recent past for Rwanda, but not their identity for today. Donat was obviously impacted by this site and our car ride back to Kigali was quiet, but as we drove through the fields, watching people go about their daily chores and lives we started talking about the future and hope that you can see everywhere. Donat is planning to build a business school and medical clinic soon. He, and a group of (approx) 10 other Christian business men, have bought land for the project and it was a thrill to see and hear his dream and vision as we stood on a hill that overlooks his future business school. We have taken many pictures of the day and video which I’ll upload when I return in January
Later in the evening, we went to dinner with Sindrali, an architect (he built the genocide memorial) and his wife Imaculee owns and runs an Aids clinic in Kigali. Sindrali talked about the “devil coming to Rwanda in 1994,” how there there is hope for Rwanda, and how “God has now filled their hearts” (referring to those that lived through the genocide as well as the persecutors. Both Sindrali and Imaculee have dedicated their lives and businesses to helping grow their country. Imaculee, who is a doctor and was training in the Congo, is working on an aids project with Harvard University’s public health department and is earnestly awaiting the results of a multi-multi international study they have been working on to discover “what the effects of not treating AIDS in children today will be on the burden of the health system in the future.”
After dinner, on our way home we came across a car accident. A car full of men had crashed into a ditch and the car was tilted on its side. Sindrali stopped immediately to see if they needed help and Imaculee was alert to see if she would be needed. After a short time, Sindrali came back to tell us that the men were drunk but that none of them were hurt, just stupefied. In turns out there are no tow trucks to call and they would be arrested if they called the authorities.
It’s hard to believe I’ve only been here a few days because I feel like I’ve been here a lifetime, and I look forward to the rest of the week and all Rwanda and it's people have to teach me.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
My first day in Kigali
WOW Rwanda is fantastic. The people are so warm and welcoming and some of the friendliest I've met in all my travels.
This morning I was picked up by Sindrali, an architect who designed the genocide meseum, and went to church with his family. It's the first time I've been to church in 16yrs. The service was in Kinyarwanda so Sindrali translated it for me, but it wasn't really necessary because the energy of the pastor was electric and very similar to what you see on Evangelical TV. What a surreal experience - I don't ever remember church being fun and energetic in the three years I went to Catholic boarding school.
The afternoon was spent with Sindrali, his wife who is a doctor and owns a local clinic, and their friend who owns a petrol shipping company. We spoke about the new business ideas they have for Rwanda, their families, and about Rwandan culture.
It's apparent that family and relationships are extremely important here. The people I've met so far are so open and genuine - they really care about people, even if you're a stranger from another country.
This evening I am having dinner with Paradis and learning about her dream to have a high end African jewelry and clothing business.
Tomorrow we visit the genocide museum.
my posts will be short because I'm on dial-up and the keep losing the connection.
This morning I was picked up by Sindrali, an architect who designed the genocide meseum, and went to church with his family. It's the first time I've been to church in 16yrs. The service was in Kinyarwanda so Sindrali translated it for me, but it wasn't really necessary because the energy of the pastor was electric and very similar to what you see on Evangelical TV. What a surreal experience - I don't ever remember church being fun and energetic in the three years I went to Catholic boarding school.
The afternoon was spent with Sindrali, his wife who is a doctor and owns a local clinic, and their friend who owns a petrol shipping company. We spoke about the new business ideas they have for Rwanda, their families, and about Rwandan culture.
It's apparent that family and relationships are extremely important here. The people I've met so far are so open and genuine - they really care about people, even if you're a stranger from another country.
This evening I am having dinner with Paradis and learning about her dream to have a high end African jewelry and clothing business.
Tomorrow we visit the genocide museum.
my posts will be short because I'm on dial-up and the keep losing the connection.
Arriving in Africa
After 26+ hours of travel I arrived safely in Kigali, Rwanda, and soon realized that I had no idea where I was staying and didn't have any contact information for my contacts here. Try telling customs/imigration that you're a tourist, have no idea where you're staying and you're not here to see the gorillas. After some questioning and probing he finally let me through. Phew.
At 3am, I arrived at our rented house to a warm greeting from Paradis, a young Rwandan woman who is an actress, poet and model. We stayed up until 5:30am talking like we were old friends.
At 3am, I arrived at our rented house to a warm greeting from Paradis, a young Rwandan woman who is an actress, poet and model. We stayed up until 5:30am talking like we were old friends.
December 11 - first leg of the trip
(written Friday, Dec 11/09)
It was great day to leave Canada with temps around -15C. Thanks Paula for the ride to the airport and your enthusiasm.
The line ups at Pearson (Toronto airport) were an hour+ deep so by the time I found my gate I was both hungry and grumpy. Not a good combination! However, huge thanks to Martin at Zoom Media for the surprise upgrade to business class! By 6:14pm I had a glas of wine in hand and was setled into my "pod" for the night. This is a fantastic way to start the beginning of my dream trip. Here we go...
It was great day to leave Canada with temps around -15C. Thanks Paula for the ride to the airport and your enthusiasm.
The line ups at Pearson (Toronto airport) were an hour+ deep so by the time I found my gate I was both hungry and grumpy. Not a good combination! However, huge thanks to Martin at Zoom Media for the surprise upgrade to business class! By 6:14pm I had a glas of wine in hand and was setled into my "pod" for the night. This is a fantastic way to start the beginning of my dream trip. Here we go...
Friday, December 11, 2009
p.s. donations
YES! please continue to donate. Donations will be accepted until the end of April, 2010.
bags are packed...well, almost.
Last night was spent packing, unpacking and packing again. I have so much stuff it looks like I'm moving, but I had to get all the soccer balls, pumps and crayons in that I could. Unfortunately some of the clothes I planned to take and leave there didn't make the cut. I even had to put pins in the soccer balls and sit on them in order to get ALL the air out.
Still have to get to the bank to get money (they use American currency and the bills have to be older than 2003)...
T-4 hours and I'll be high in the sky...next entry will be from Kigali, Rwanda!
Happy Holidays.
XO
Thursday, December 10, 2009
I'll be flying in < 24 hours!
I really have to stop and take a deep breath when I think that this time tomorrow I will be on my way - on my way to fulfilling a life long dream of travelling to Africa. It actually brings a tear to my eye, but then I stop myself and think about all the sh!t I have to do before I can (attempt to) sleep tonight!
I wonder what I'll dream about if I do fall asleep or if my overactive brain will just keep running on overdrive. If I had time I'd go to hot yoga again tonight, but I don't. I'll practice some mediation later...HA ya right. :) lol
I'm not sure about you - whoever you are that is reading this (btw, thanks for reading!) - but I love lists and I finally made one yesterday. Actually, it's not the list I love per se but the fact that I get to check items off the list, which makes me feel like I've accomplished something. It really does give me energy to make a check mark on the paper. Thankfully though there aren't too many items left on said list.
Enough blogging - I have to deflate the soccer balls and figure out how and WHERE I am going to put them. I've already got a full suitcase, one full box of supplies and a carry on. You'd think I was moving to Africa!
Bon nuit.
(don't be surprised to see another blog entry from me at some ridiculous hour tonight)
I wonder what I'll dream about if I do fall asleep or if my overactive brain will just keep running on overdrive. If I had time I'd go to hot yoga again tonight, but I don't. I'll practice some mediation later...HA ya right. :) lol
I'm not sure about you - whoever you are that is reading this (btw, thanks for reading!) - but I love lists and I finally made one yesterday. Actually, it's not the list I love per se but the fact that I get to check items off the list, which makes me feel like I've accomplished something. It really does give me energy to make a check mark on the paper. Thankfully though there aren't too many items left on said list.
Enough blogging - I have to deflate the soccer balls and figure out how and WHERE I am going to put them. I've already got a full suitcase, one full box of supplies and a carry on. You'd think I was moving to Africa!
Bon nuit.
(don't be surprised to see another blog entry from me at some ridiculous hour tonight)
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
2 days until I leave for Africa
I cannot believe I leave for Africa this Friday and I can't begin to tell you how excited I am - so excited that I'm hardly sleeping because my busy brain won't stop!
I know I keep asking for donations for GRDP and this note isn't going to be any different. This work is so important and any sized contribution helps GRDP continue to provide value to their clients in Rwanda and to the country. So please, take the time to hit the donate button on the right side and send some of your hard earned cash to those that need a little help. It'll make you feel good. I promise!
While I'm gone I'll update my blog as much as I can so if you'd like to follow my journey, there's a "follow" button on the top left - you'll get updates each time I add a submission.
I'm going to Africa, I'm going to Africa...!!!
Thanks again to Hapnot Collegiate
Yesterday I received a big box of school supplies from Kristen Imrie and her class at Hapnot Collegiate. Hapnot is in Flin Flon, Manitoba (pop 5594) which is the "city" neighbouring Creighton, Saskatchewan (pop 1502) - the town I grew up in.
Tidbit of info - Flin Flon and Creighton are parallel with Moscow!
I love that these supplies and pictures of the kids at Hapnot are going to travel south of the equator and will provide more kids with necessary learning tools.
It's going to be fun trying to pack everything and stay within my weight restrictions, but I'll manage. :)
Again, thanks Kristen and all those that donated books, crayons, pencils, etc.
2 days until I leave...
Friday, December 4, 2009
Dave Ormesher talks about his experience working in Rwanda
Elizabeth, my colleague in Chicago, had the pleasure of attending a workshop where Dave Ormesher, founder of GRDP, gave a summary of the status of Rwanda to a group of U.S. Entrepreneurs. He showed a brief video that explained the history of the genocide. In 1994 the war turned into a genocide calamity that ended with 800,000 to a million people being massacred in 100 days. We know that the leader of the RPF rebel movement, Paul Kagame, became the country’s president and that there has been peace since then. We know that the genocide was based on ethnic lines with Hutus and Tutsis. Here are a few questions Elizabeth asked Dave about his experience working in Rwanda.
Q: “Do the Hutus and Tutsis still hate each other? Don’t they want justice for their families and friends that were killed?”
A: “They could have gone down that road, but where would that have taken them? They saw that there is a better life if they put that in the past and work on Rwanda. This is what the Rwandans have told me. Of course I am an outsider, but everything I have seen says they get this and they are an amazing people”
Q: “How did they put it aside? Earlier, you made the comparison to Somalia, what did Rwanda do that Somalia didn’t?”
A: “Everyone I have asked from all over Rwanda have given me the same answer over and over. They have good leadership. They believe in President Kagame’s dream of making a better future, the 2020 dream, as it’s called, of building a middle class and better Rwanda. They are looking to the future, not the past.”
Q: “Is it safe to travel to Rwanda? Are you scared to go there?”
A: “It’s very safe. I have been there many times and never felt unsafe walking around the city, not even at night. There is plenty of police presence. One time I even lost my blackberry and figured it was gone forever. Four days later I got a message that someone had given it to a priest who was trying to find me in the country and it was returned. There is such a sense of pride in Rwanda.”
One of the entrepreneurs in the workshop that travelled with GRDP to Rwanda had a video that showed the fourth Saturday of the month. Every fourth Saturday every citizen of Rwanda takes time out of their day to do community cleaning projects so that the streets are clean, the trees are cut back, the neighborhoods are nice. We could really use this type of community spirit in Canada!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
$1000 to go
Alright family, friends, and neighbours it's time to get your wallets out and donate AT LEAST $40 to Global Relief and Development Partners - the donate button is on the right.
My goal is to raise a minimum of $1000 by Friday, December 11, 2009 - the day I leave for Rwanda to work with GRDP.
GRDP was set up by Dave Ormesher, a Strategic Coach client in Chicago, and they've been doing incredible work with entrepreneurs in Rwanda. Think about everything you have and then try to imagine what life would be like if you were struggling to keep your business going. I mean REALLY struggling. Imagine what your donation is going to do not just for one entrepreneur but for communities. Watch Dave's message below.
Elizabeth (my Chicago colleague) and I have meetings set up to present a few Strategic Coach/GRDP concepts to Rwandan entrepreneurs and we'll be presenting to a room full of people in Kigali on December 17th.
T - 9 days and counting!!
p.s. thanks to Elizabeth for ALL her work putting the logistics together.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Soccer Balls are on their way
So planning a trip and trying to organize donations isn't without it's hiccups. I had a soccer club commit to donating soccer balls and uniforms for the kids, but haven't heard from them again so have had to find another generous soul to step up. I can't wait to give the kids their new soccer balls and pumps in a few weeks.
HUGE Thank you to Michael at Instinct Entertainment
Michael is a client of mine at Strategic Coach.
Michael, I'll be sure to record the gift giving for you to see!
Thanks again.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Just over 2 weeks to go
Even though I leave in 2 1/2 weeks it still hasn't hit me that I am going. At this point I'm not sure what it's going to take to make this feel real!
I've had many donations come in for GRDP in the last few weeks but still need to raise (at least) $1300 before I go on Dec 11. So, if 32 more people can donate $40 we'll reach that goal in the next two weeks. Remember, GRDP is a registered non-profit and your paypal receipt can be used for tax deductions.
If you have any suggestions about how to raise this money, please let me know by sending me an email to artforafricainfo (at) ymail.com
The Rwanda Genocide was one of worst genocides to occur in the 20th century. Taking place in 1994, hundreds of thousands of Tutsis (a Rwandan ethnic class) were killed in the small African country ...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The excitement is palpable!!
I cannot believe that I'll be leaving for Africa in 3 weeks, 1 day and 2 hours...yay for dream trips!
THANK YOU so much to everyone who's made a donation to GRDP - I cannot begin to tell you how much this means to me and what a difference your generosity will make. I know we're all being asked for money from charities on a regular basis so please know that I really do love that you care so much and have supported my cause. It means the world to me. :)
So, with three weeks left and with my 1st goal nearly met, please help me get there by making a tax deductible donation. If 32 more people donate $40 each by December 11, then I'll have achieved step one in my fundraising efforts. Step two is Art for Africa, which will take place in Toronto on April 8, 2010 www.artforafrica.info
Again, THANK YOU!
Friday, November 6, 2009
43 more donations needed
Between last week and today we have had donations (and pledges) that have helped immensely.
THANK YOU.
Last week the magic number for needed donations was 58, today it's 43. If 43 MORE PEOPLE DONATE $40 we will have all the supplies and the trip covered. Please make a tax deductible donation today by clicking on the donate button on the right.
Monday, November 2, 2009
looking at next month.
39 days and 5 hours until I leave...no, I'm not excited at all!
First, let me thank those who made donations over the last week - GRDP has another $750 thanks to your generosity.
Last week Elizabeth (my travel partner) and I spoke to Dave, President of Global Relief and Development Partners, about our schedule in Rwanda. This is going to be the most incredible journey and I'm so excited to share it with you all, or as much of it as I can.
Here are some of the things we'll be doing while in Kigali: visit the genocide museum with the architect that designed it, meet and work with GRDP workshop participants to do a program evaluation and create a roadshow for new entrepreneurs to join the program, interview potential employees for a lead role in GRDP - onsite in Rwanda, visit an orphanage to give the kids tooth brushes and floss and a donated laptop, visit a school to give the kids note books, pens and crayons.
If you know any schools that would like to donate school supplies, please let me know and I'd be happy to take them with me when I go. I'm also going to reach out to some soccer clubs this week to see if they'll donate used soccer balls for the kids.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
46 days until I leave for Rwanda
Hi Friends,
It's hard to believe there are only 46 days left until my flight leaves on December 11th. I can't tell you how excited (and a little nervous) I am about this trip - since it really is one life-long dream that I haven't fulfilled, and for those that know me well, they know that I do everything I set out to!
In the last month before I leave, there is still a lot to do. I continue to fund-raise for Global Relief and Development Partners and will ask you to make a donation to this worthwhile cause - I've made it REALLY easy - just click the donate button on the right and it'll direct you to the donation page where you can pay with credit card or directly from your bank account. The money goes directly to GRDP and will help more business owners create sustainable, self-reliant businesses. So, for all you business owners that are reading this, please remember what it was like when you first started and how a little extra money can go a long way. Donate $40. If you're not a business owner, please donate anyway because every dollar counts and I guarantee your contribution will.
While I am volunteering in Rwanda, I will video my journey with the entrepreneurs I meet and I want to ask you, "What would you like to know about Rwanda, about my trip, about GRDP, or anything else pertaining to this journey?" Particularly, what questions would you like me to ask the people that I meet? Please submit your questions and I'd be happy to answer them.
Submit your questions to rebuildingrwanda @ gmail.com and I will post them on this blog with the answers.
Here are a few that have been asked recently:
1. What will the temperature be like while I am there?
The sun shines year round and the mean temperature is 24C (76F).
2. What will I be doing while I am in Rwanda?
I will be working directly with GRDP and their local staff in Kigali (the capital of Rwanda). We will be doing a program evaluation of their coaching/mentoring program that has been operating for three years and we'll set up events with current GRDP participants to speak to other entrepreneurs about signing up for GRDP workshops. We will visit a local school to give the kids paper, pencils and crayons (apparently they love crayons but can't get them there!), and visit an orphanage to provide dental hygiene products and teach the the kids how to brush and floss their teeth - many suffer from gum disease which often leads to liver disease.
3. Who am I going with?
I will be travelling with Elizabeth Cox, a colleague from Chicago.
4. Where will I be staying?
GRDP is arranging accommodations for us in a local hotel.
5. How long is the flight and what's the route?
My travel time is approximately 24 hrs with flight times and layovers. I have a stop in the UK and Kenya before arriving in Kigali.
6. How many and which vaccinations did I need?
I can tell you that I am happy to have this over with! Needles don't normally scare me but a couple of these inoculations were unpleasant. I had Hep A & B, Polio, and Yellow Fever, and I will have to take malaria pills while I am there.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Message from Dave Ormisher, Founder of Global Relief and Development Partners
Thank you to Elizabeth for meeting with Dave and creating this short video.
Dave is a client of Strategic Coach, the company that Elizabeth and I work for. He started GRDP in 2006 as a result of being in the Program and wanting to do more on a global level.
Please make your donation today so we can help more entrepreneurs create and build sustainable and self-reliant businesses that will employ people and create growth and change for Rwanda.
Please make your donation today so we can help more entrepreneurs create and build sustainable and self-reliant businesses that will employ people and create growth and change for Rwanda.
Friday, October 9, 2009
One success story - this is how your donation will make a difference
Here is the story about one of the entrepreneurs that Global Relief and Development Partners works with - this is just one of many and proves that your donation makes a difference in the lives of those that need it most.
What stood out for me in this story, is the fact that Gahaya Links now employs 4,000 women - imagine how many kids eat and go to school because of this. Please donate $40 today to help improve the lives of more families.
(story from www.grdpartners.org)
Basket weaving has a long tradition in Rwanda, and two sisters, Joy Ndungutse and Janet Nkubana formed Gahaya Links, a small business with great ambitions. They employ over 4,000 rural women who weave intricate baskets that wind up on the shelves of Macy's in New York City.
Gahaya Links is an extraordinary story of two women overcoming all odds to build an export business in Rwanda that is a significant employer of Rwandan women, many of them widows from the 1994 genocide.
RURAL WOMEN COME TO KIGALI TO LEARN HOW TO WEAVE THE GAHAYA WAY.
Every month, a new group of women travel from their villages to live for a week at Gahaya Links to learn the Gahaya way of weaving. When they return to their homes, they take with them the materials and patterns they need to weave baskets and begin providing a new income stream for their families and communities. One of the amazing aspects of this story is how Tutsi and Hutu women often work side by side, thus providing an environment for reconciliation.
RANDY ROLLINSON AND JOY NDUNGUTSE WORKING THROUGH THE FINANCIAL MODEL.
The GRDP team met with Joy and Janet during the April 2008 Rwanda assessment trip, and Randy Rollinson, a strategy consultant and CEO of LBL Strategies, has committed to them as an executive mentor. He is working closely with Gahaya to audit and make recommendations on their financial model.
What is Social Entrepreneurship?
(quote from wikipedia.com)
A social entrepreneur is someone who recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create, and manage a venture to make social change. Whereas a business entrepreneur ypically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur assesses success in terms of the impact s/he has on society as well as in profit and return.
The main aim of a social entrepreneurship as well as social enterprise is to further social and environmental goals for a good cause. A social entrepreneur in the 21st century will redefine entrepreneurship as we know it due to their progressive business models.
Meet Elizabeth, my travel partner
Elizabeth and I work for the same company, however we've only met once when she was in Toronto for a workshop. My soon-to-be room-mate for three weeks and I have spent many hours on the phone planning and strategizing about our upcoming trip and our fundraising efforts. As it turns out, we share the same passion and goals for empowering people to be the best they can be, attain their dreams, and be sustainable and self-reliant. It's an honour to have the opportunity to share this experience with someone who is passionate, driven, compassionate, and dedicated to improving people's lives. And, I have to admit, she is quite patient with me!
Why is this type of trip important to Elizabeth, "the difference for her is the vision for changing to self-sustainability and create value for Rwandan entrepreneurs."
We are equally as excited (and somewhat scared) about this journey, but most importantly we're both dedicated to making it a success for the entrepreneurs that Global Relief and Development Partners work with.
You can learn more about Elizabeth at www.sponsoringgrowth.com
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Donate $40 to help Rwandans rebuild after the genocide - your receipt is your tax receipt
Many new entrepreneurs in Rwanda are women, so why is it so important to support them?
- Conflict leaves many woman and children at the helm of their households for the first time and they must find a way to support themselves and their children on their own. Entrepreneurship is one way to accomplish this.
- Reaching women means reaching children. With more income, women are likely to ensure that girls, as well as boys, receive an education. Education is the surest way to lift a country out of poverty over the long-term. By educating both sexes, the positive impact of education is that much greater.
There are many reasons to support women’s economic empowerment, but it is easier to envision than to implement. I am asking you to implement, to make your short-term (easy to make) donation for a long-term investment.
If you are interested in helping, I am looking for the following assistance:
1) Pass along the website www.rebuildingrwanda.blogs
2) Visit the blog on a regular basis to learn about the planning and execution of the trip
3) If you are interested in helping with content for the actual trip and the work we are doing, please email me.
4) Donate $40 or more (there is a donate button under my picture)
YOUR DONATION CAN AND WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Uganda arrests Rwanda genocide suspect (newsvision.co.ug)
THE Ugandan Police have arrested one of the four most wanted suspects from Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, Idelphonse Nizeyimana, after he sneaked into the country by bus from the Democratic Republic of Congo last week.
A former Rwandan army captain and senior intelligence officer, Nizeyimana is accused of organising the slaughter of Tutsi civilians in the southern province of Butare and ordering the murder of the former Queen of Rwanda.
He was captured on Monday from a motel in Rubaga, a Kampala suburb, by a joint team of Interpol Uganda and a tracking team of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, based in Arusha.
Nizeyimana was detained at Jinja Road Police station before being transferred to Arusha aboard a UN chartered flight yesterday.
The United States had offered a $5-million reward for his capture. The UN court issued an indictment against him in 2007, charging him with genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide and crimes against humanity.
The prosecutor accused Nizeyimana and others of preparing lists of Tutsi intellectuals who were handed to soldiers and militia to be killed.
Nizeyimana is also accused of setting up roadblocks where Tutsi civilians were slaughtered, and of providing weapons and transport to militia in the knowledge that they were being used for such attacks.
He is also alleged to have sent soldiers to the home of the former Queen of Rwanda, Rosalie Gicanda - a symbolic figure for all Tutsis - who executed her on his orders.
“Nizeyimana, through the chain of command, is alleged to have exercised authority over soldiers and personnel at the camp and was perceived as a member of the elite inner circle (Akazu) of the late President Habyarimana,” said a statement by the Rwanda tribunal in Arusha yesterday.
Following the indictment, Interpol, which is headquartered in Paris, issued a red notice which calls for a suspect’s arrest and extradition.
Police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba yesterday said Interpol Uganda had been tracking him since he crossed the border at Bunagana on October 3.
“He used temporary travel documents to enter the country,” Nabakooba said, adding that he did not resist arrest.
To beat security, he reportedly used a pseudonym, Itamana Kamogo, and was trying to make his way to the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
"Although we were aware of his presence in Uganda for a couple of days now, we couldn't arrest him immediately before we could cross-check thoroughly to ensure he was the person we were looking for," Nabakooba said.
Rwanda's government said he had spent the 15 years since the genocide fighting for a Hutu rebel group in the forests of neighbouring Congo.
"In Kinyarwanda, his name would translate as 'I believe in God,' which unfortunately is not the case. He believes in death," said Rwandan Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama.
"He was an agitator, a handler, the chief killer in Butare. The arrest of this man ... is a very big relief to survivors of the genocide."
In a statement, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed his capture and said it marked an important step forward in the fight against impunity in Africa's volatile Great Lakes region.
The Rwanda tribunal commended Uganda for its cooperation, saying such support was crucial to enable it do its work.
“This is the second time Uganda has cooperated with the tribunal in arresting an accused person,” the statement said.
“The tribunal has commended Interpol and the Ugandan authorities for their close cooperation. This level of cooperation is highly appreciated.”
Nizeyimana is the second to be arrested in the list of 13 fugitives in less than two months.
Gregoire Ndahimana, a local administrator in Rwanda during the genocide, was caught in August by Congolese troops during operations against Hutu rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Idelphonse Nizeyimana: The ‘butcher of Butare’
Captain Idelphonse Nizeyimana, who was arrested in Kampala on Monday morning, is one of the four most wanted suspects of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, that claimed over 800,000 lives.
The captain and intelligence officer in the former regime’s army is accused of having ordered the killing of Tutsi Queen, Rosalie Gicanda, on April 20, 1994.
His men also carried out the raids on Butare University, in which at least 600 Tutsi students were killed, and the raids on Butare Hospital where Tutsi patients were dragged from their beds and slaughtered, according to Human Rights Watch.
“At 11:00 am, a detachment of soldiers commanded by Lt. Pierre Bizimana, acting under the orders of Capt. Nizeyimana, invaded the modest home of Rosalie Gicanda,” said Human Rights Watch in its 1994 report ‘Leave none to tell the story’.
Gicanda was the widow of Mutara Rudahigwa, the ruler of Rwanda who died in 1959 just before the Hutu revolution that overthrew Tutsi rule. About 80 years old, she lived a quiet life as a devout Catholic sharing her home with her bed-ridden mother.
“Because she eschewed any involvement in politics and behaved with discreet dignity, even the most anti-Tutsi politicians had left her largely undisturbed throughout the 30 years of Hutu rule,” the report said.
When the killings in Butare began, the queen had trusted that the prefect and the mayor would look after their safety. According to testimony, she called on the mayor for protection but he replied that he could do nothing for her.
“The soldiers passed through the wooden enclosure that protected the house from the main street and entered the little house with its air of faded respectability. They seized the former queen and six others,” the report said.
“The soldiers then took Gicanda and the others to a place behind the national museum where they shot them. One teenaged girl, left for dead, survived to recount the murders. The soldiers returned to pillage Gicanda’s home in the afternoon and, two days later, they killed her mother.”
The news that the queen had been taken away by soldiers in the back of a pickup truck spread rapidly and alarmed Tutsi and all others who opposed the genocide. “They concluded that if soldiers dared to seize even this revered person, then no one was safe.”
Besides the horrendous killings at the university and the hospital in late April, Nizeyimana’s men were also involved in slaughtering targeted people from the intellectual and political elite of Butare, including Hutu believed to oppose the genocide.
Nizeyimana, according to Human Rights Watch, personally supervised the murder of his neighbour, deputy prosecutor Matabaro.
The rights group repeatedly pointed out that Nziyemana was a key figure in pushing the genocide agenda in Butare, taking charge of army operations after accusing his boss of sympathy with the Tutsi.
“The commanding officer for the Butare-Gikongoro operational zone during the worst of the killing was Lt. Col. Muvunyi,” the report noted.
“But military and civilian witnesses present in Butare at the time agree that it was not Muvunyi but rather his subordinates, Capt. Nizeyimana and Lt. Hategekimana, who aggressively pushed the genocide while accusing Muvunyi of being Tutsi himself and threatening him with death for his efforts to help Tutsi.”
The two had divided the tasks, with Nizeyimana taking care of exterminating the Tutsis in the central part of Butare town, including in the residential section of Buye.
“Soldiers had orders to take identity cards from those whom they killed. According to one witness, Nizeyimana regularly received these cards from his men as they reported on the progress of the killings,” Human Rights Watch wrote.
“They often appeared at his house shortly after a volley of gunfire was heard and handed the cards to the captain with the report: Mission accomplished. In the captain’s absence, his wife received the cards.”
A former Rwandan army captain and senior intelligence officer, Nizeyimana is accused of organising the slaughter of Tutsi civilians in the southern province of Butare and ordering the murder of the former Queen of Rwanda.
He was captured on Monday from a motel in Rubaga, a Kampala suburb, by a joint team of Interpol Uganda and a tracking team of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, based in Arusha.
Nizeyimana was detained at Jinja Road Police station before being transferred to Arusha aboard a UN chartered flight yesterday.
The United States had offered a $5-million reward for his capture. The UN court issued an indictment against him in 2007, charging him with genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide and crimes against humanity.
The prosecutor accused Nizeyimana and others of preparing lists of Tutsi intellectuals who were handed to soldiers and militia to be killed.
Nizeyimana is also accused of setting up roadblocks where Tutsi civilians were slaughtered, and of providing weapons and transport to militia in the knowledge that they were being used for such attacks.
He is also alleged to have sent soldiers to the home of the former Queen of Rwanda, Rosalie Gicanda - a symbolic figure for all Tutsis - who executed her on his orders.
“Nizeyimana, through the chain of command, is alleged to have exercised authority over soldiers and personnel at the camp and was perceived as a member of the elite inner circle (Akazu) of the late President Habyarimana,” said a statement by the Rwanda tribunal in Arusha yesterday.
Following the indictment, Interpol, which is headquartered in Paris, issued a red notice which calls for a suspect’s arrest and extradition.
Police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba yesterday said Interpol Uganda had been tracking him since he crossed the border at Bunagana on October 3.
“He used temporary travel documents to enter the country,” Nabakooba said, adding that he did not resist arrest.
To beat security, he reportedly used a pseudonym, Itamana Kamogo, and was trying to make his way to the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
"Although we were aware of his presence in Uganda for a couple of days now, we couldn't arrest him immediately before we could cross-check thoroughly to ensure he was the person we were looking for," Nabakooba said.
Rwanda's government said he had spent the 15 years since the genocide fighting for a Hutu rebel group in the forests of neighbouring Congo.
"In Kinyarwanda, his name would translate as 'I believe in God,' which unfortunately is not the case. He believes in death," said Rwandan Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama.
"He was an agitator, a handler, the chief killer in Butare. The arrest of this man ... is a very big relief to survivors of the genocide."
In a statement, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed his capture and said it marked an important step forward in the fight against impunity in Africa's volatile Great Lakes region.
The Rwanda tribunal commended Uganda for its cooperation, saying such support was crucial to enable it do its work.
“This is the second time Uganda has cooperated with the tribunal in arresting an accused person,” the statement said.
“The tribunal has commended Interpol and the Ugandan authorities for their close cooperation. This level of cooperation is highly appreciated.”
Nizeyimana is the second to be arrested in the list of 13 fugitives in less than two months.
Gregoire Ndahimana, a local administrator in Rwanda during the genocide, was caught in August by Congolese troops during operations against Hutu rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Idelphonse Nizeyimana: The ‘butcher of Butare’
Captain Idelphonse Nizeyimana, who was arrested in Kampala on Monday morning, is one of the four most wanted suspects of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, that claimed over 800,000 lives.
The captain and intelligence officer in the former regime’s army is accused of having ordered the killing of Tutsi Queen, Rosalie Gicanda, on April 20, 1994.
His men also carried out the raids on Butare University, in which at least 600 Tutsi students were killed, and the raids on Butare Hospital where Tutsi patients were dragged from their beds and slaughtered, according to Human Rights Watch.
“At 11:00 am, a detachment of soldiers commanded by Lt. Pierre Bizimana, acting under the orders of Capt. Nizeyimana, invaded the modest home of Rosalie Gicanda,” said Human Rights Watch in its 1994 report ‘Leave none to tell the story’.
Gicanda was the widow of Mutara Rudahigwa, the ruler of Rwanda who died in 1959 just before the Hutu revolution that overthrew Tutsi rule. About 80 years old, she lived a quiet life as a devout Catholic sharing her home with her bed-ridden mother.
“Because she eschewed any involvement in politics and behaved with discreet dignity, even the most anti-Tutsi politicians had left her largely undisturbed throughout the 30 years of Hutu rule,” the report said.
When the killings in Butare began, the queen had trusted that the prefect and the mayor would look after their safety. According to testimony, she called on the mayor for protection but he replied that he could do nothing for her.
“The soldiers passed through the wooden enclosure that protected the house from the main street and entered the little house with its air of faded respectability. They seized the former queen and six others,” the report said.
“The soldiers then took Gicanda and the others to a place behind the national museum where they shot them. One teenaged girl, left for dead, survived to recount the murders. The soldiers returned to pillage Gicanda’s home in the afternoon and, two days later, they killed her mother.”
The news that the queen had been taken away by soldiers in the back of a pickup truck spread rapidly and alarmed Tutsi and all others who opposed the genocide. “They concluded that if soldiers dared to seize even this revered person, then no one was safe.”
Besides the horrendous killings at the university and the hospital in late April, Nizeyimana’s men were also involved in slaughtering targeted people from the intellectual and political elite of Butare, including Hutu believed to oppose the genocide.
Nizeyimana, according to Human Rights Watch, personally supervised the murder of his neighbour, deputy prosecutor Matabaro.
The rights group repeatedly pointed out that Nziyemana was a key figure in pushing the genocide agenda in Butare, taking charge of army operations after accusing his boss of sympathy with the Tutsi.
“The commanding officer for the Butare-Gikongoro operational zone during the worst of the killing was Lt. Col. Muvunyi,” the report noted.
“But military and civilian witnesses present in Butare at the time agree that it was not Muvunyi but rather his subordinates, Capt. Nizeyimana and Lt. Hategekimana, who aggressively pushed the genocide while accusing Muvunyi of being Tutsi himself and threatening him with death for his efforts to help Tutsi.”
The two had divided the tasks, with Nizeyimana taking care of exterminating the Tutsis in the central part of Butare town, including in the residential section of Buye.
“Soldiers had orders to take identity cards from those whom they killed. According to one witness, Nizeyimana regularly received these cards from his men as they reported on the progress of the killings,” Human Rights Watch wrote.
“They often appeared at his house shortly after a volley of gunfire was heard and handed the cards to the captain with the report: Mission accomplished. In the captain’s absence, his wife received the cards.”
Thursday, October 1, 2009
OUCH!
In preparation for my upcoming trip in T - 72 days (and counting!), I went for my vaccinations today, which I discovered will take more time, effort and money than the "get them all over with in one go" appointment I had hoped for. It seems I haven't had any travel inoculations in nearly 10 years so I had to have three today, which will be followed by three more in the next few weeks. Ouch!
On a positive note, is it slightly morbid that needles have made me really excited about this trip?!!
Next one on the list - my visa for Kenya where I will spend nearly two weeks on safari after volunteering in Rwanda...
On a positive note, is it slightly morbid that needles have made me really excited about this trip?!!
Next one on the list - my visa for Kenya where I will spend nearly two weeks on safari after volunteering in Rwanda...
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Interview with Rwandan President Paul Kagame
Here is a video of president Paul Kagame talking about Rwanda helping themselves through an entrepreneurial based economy and creating a strategy for self sustaining growth.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Art for Africa - Buy Tickets or Donate
www.artforafrica.info
FOR TICKET SALES OR TO MAKE A DONATION, VISIT www.artforafrica.info
(you can also donate by clicking the "Donate" button under my picture on this page)
All proceeds go directly to GRDP - a registered non-profit.
If you’re unable to attend Art for Africa, please donate $50 (split it with a friend if you REALLY have to). Here’s what $50 will buy in Rwanda and how your money will make a difference:
1. A small piece of land to start an agricultural business that can employ hundreds
2. A woman can buy thread and embroidery supplies for her business and send her kids to school
3. Will buy a 50kg (110 lbs) bag of sugar for a bakery
Here’s what you’ll spend $50 on:
1. One night out for dinner or 2-3 alcoholic drinks (if you live in Toronto!)
2. Starbucks – one week of Starbucks coffee
3. A book or 2 from Chapters
4. One tank of gas
5. A night at the movies (for two)
6. Tell me, what have you spent $50 on lately?
FOR TICKET SALES OR TO MAKE A DONATION, VISIT www.artforafrica.info
(you can also donate by clicking the "Donate" button under my picture on this page)
All proceeds go directly to GRDP - a registered non-profit.
If you’re unable to attend Art for Africa, please donate $50 (split it with a friend if you REALLY have to). Here’s what $50 will buy in Rwanda and how your money will make a difference:
1. A small piece of land to start an agricultural business that can employ hundreds
2. A woman can buy thread and embroidery supplies for her business and send her kids to school
3. Will buy a 50kg (110 lbs) bag of sugar for a bakery
Here’s what you’ll spend $50 on:
1. One night out for dinner or 2-3 alcoholic drinks (if you live in Toronto!)
2. Starbucks – one week of Starbucks coffee
3. A book or 2 from Chapters
4. One tank of gas
5. A night at the movies (for two)
6. Tell me, what have you spent $50 on lately?
Friday, September 11, 2009
Art for Africa site launch - www.artforafrica.info
I'm very excited about the trip and my first travel experience in Africa and hope that you can also be part of the journey...
Earlier this summer, I decided to raise funds for GRDP through donations and by throwing a fundraising event. If you are not able to come to the fundraiser, please help me raise my CA$10,000 goal by donating to GRDP. (please see the invite, website and ticket purchase and donation information below)
You are invited to a unique fundraising event - Art for Africa.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
6pm - 9pm
The SHAMBA Foundation, located at 48 Yonge Street, Suite 1200 (Yonge and King)
The evening includes cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, live music, plus as part of your ticket purchase, an original piece of art generously donated from one of over 100 local artists. The evening promises to be lively, fun and inspiring!
As part of a project created by Global Relief and Development Partners' (GRDP) Social Entrepreneurship Program, the funds raised will help Rwandan entrepreneurs rebuild their country after the 1994 genocide and emerge from poverty.
As a GRDP representative, I have volunteered to finance my trip to Rwanda in order to be a part of this initiative. The hope is to add value to the Rwandan community, bring investment, jobs, and expertise in to the country.
This evening is truly special, as not only are the Rwandan people benefiting from the proceeds raised from this evening, but Art for Africa also creates a venue for local artists to showcase their work. These talented artists cover a vast array of styles and mediums sure to catch the eye of everyone in attendance. Plus you will have the unique opportunity to discuss the pieces with the artists and even have them signed.
I hope to see you there!
For ticket sales or to make a donation visit www.artforafrica.info
Friday, September 4, 2009
WHY GRDP?
Many people have been asking me why GRDP and why Rwanda - especially since Rwanda conjures up images of the 1994 genocide and the nearly one million people that were slaughtered over 100 days. I am sitting here reading this and realize that that's the same time frame from today until I leave for Rwanda on December 11. 100 days. Just over three months. One quarter in the business world. However you want to look at it, it's not a lot of time to murder (approximately) 10,000 people each day.
I can't begin to fathom the destruction, and it's apparent to me at this very moment - while my stomach hurts from reading the above - that the answer to the question is "why not GRDP?"
It's important to find your passion and support it. I've found mine. For years I've been searching for an organization in Africa that empowers people and provides them with the tools they'll require to sustain themselves, their families and their communities, and when I found GRDP I knew I had to volunteer with them because that's their mission: "...enabling them to lead their countries out of the cycle of poverty, corruption, and violence."
Originally it wasn't my intent to visit Rwanda, but after hearing the stories of friends who've recently been there, I am thrilled that it's the first country in Africa that I will experience, and I am sure the people of Rwanda will teach me far more than I can begin to teach them. I look forward to the journey and to changing my life forever.
And, I look forward to raising money to support this incredible organization, their mission and the Rwandan people.
Rwanda Fact - Rwanda is half the size of Nova Scotia and about the same size as Massachusetts.
I can't begin to fathom the destruction, and it's apparent to me at this very moment - while my stomach hurts from reading the above - that the answer to the question is "why not GRDP?"
It's important to find your passion and support it. I've found mine. For years I've been searching for an organization in Africa that empowers people and provides them with the tools they'll require to sustain themselves, their families and their communities, and when I found GRDP I knew I had to volunteer with them because that's their mission: "...enabling them to lead their countries out of the cycle of poverty, corruption, and violence."
Originally it wasn't my intent to visit Rwanda, but after hearing the stories of friends who've recently been there, I am thrilled that it's the first country in Africa that I will experience, and I am sure the people of Rwanda will teach me far more than I can begin to teach them. I look forward to the journey and to changing my life forever.
And, I look forward to raising money to support this incredible organization, their mission and the Rwandan people.
Rwanda Fact - Rwanda is half the size of Nova Scotia and about the same size as Massachusetts.
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