Rebuilding Rwanda’s Classrooms

Since the beginning of 2009 YGAP and partnership organisation, Sanejo have been working together to effectively strengthen tomorrow’s youth by providing access to improved educational facilities in Rwanda – starting with the Ntenyo Primary School. We understand that youth development by empowering children through education is a crucial aspect towards building a more prosperous future. This not only ensures a more productive society but equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to improve their own lives.

Rwanda, often referred to as the “Land Of A Thousand Hills,” is a tiny landlocked country located in the Great Lakes region of East Africa. Unfortunately, this beautiful country has been shaped by a history of poverty and war, most notably that of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide which claimed the lives of innocent Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The scars of the genocide are still prevalent but the resilient and resourceful people of Rwanda strive to etch a more prosperous future for themselves and their children. As an outcome of poverty and limited educational opportunities, the rural population is often the most severely manipulated and affected in post-conflict situations.

With scarce resources the country is still on the recovering path and some of the infrastructures remain in a terrible state. While the Ntenyo Primary School is still standing, it currently educates 597 students in what is now 6 delapidated classrooms with limited resources; resulting in a difficult educational environment for the local youth. In addition, the few dedicated teachers lack adequate qualifications to teach the newly enforced national language of education, English and due to financial constraints receive low wages. Despite their low income, the Ntenyo community members have tried to continue building the school because they realise education is the bridge for their children to access opportunity for a better future.

In June and July 2010 Sanejo and YGAP hit the ground running, working together with the Ntenyo community, to begin the rebuild and development of Ntenyo Primary School. During this time YGAP, Sanejo and the Ntenyo community – with the help of over 20 volunteers from Australia, USA and Denmark – were able to build two new classrooms, rebuild the once deplorable latrines and were blessed with the opportunity to construct a memorial for the school’s founder, Joseph Rutabagisha. While on the ground in Rwanda YGAP volunteers spent their days in a number of ways – from helping out on the construction site putting their labouring and building skills to the test while learning Kinyarwanda – the local language – from their local counterparts to interacting and playing games with the students during their break to encourage informal learning of English.

Where to next? – The Vision Ahead

What began as a small scale project to rebuild the existing classroom structures, after arriving on onsite in Ntenyo and listening to the members of the Ntenyo community, the numerous challenges they face and their dreams for education, has turned into a larger vision to provide the community with additional educational infrastructure to meet the demanding needs. The school is yet to have access to running water and electricity and currently does not have adequate facilities to provide government standardised nine basic education.

Guided by our belief in long term sustainable development and providing educational opportunities YGAP and Sanejo have committed to building the required facilities to ensure Ntenyo Primary School is able to provide nine basic education. Excited by the long term vision and plans YGAP volunteers are back in Melbourne and around the world in full force fundraising for the upcoming year – the target $100,000AUD. The donations to fund this project will provide the materials and local labour to build the additional classrooms for the Ntenyo youth.

Together, with Sanejo and the Ntenyo community, our objective is to partner and “rebuild tomorrows generation” in Rwanda by empowering the Rwandan youth through an expansion of educational access.

YGAP and the amazing work of our volunteers is made possible by YOU, so please give generously to show your support.

If you would like further information on this project please contact laura.spano@y-gap.org

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