Dyeing For Peace in Rwanda

April 7th, 2019 marks the 25th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Kwibuka means Remember in Kinyarwanda.

On April 6, 1994, a plane carrying Rwandan President Habyarimana, a Hutu, was shot down. Genocide erupted overnight. Hutu extremists began executing their master plan: to destroy the entire Tutsi civilian population. Political leaders who might have quelled or temporarily stymied the movement were among the first to be killed. Tutsi and people suspected of being Tutsi, were killed in their homes, roadblocks, farmlands and churches. Planned use of rape by HIV-infected men was used as a weapon of mass extermination.

Today, seventy percent of Rwanda’s population is under the age of 35 years of age. The future of Rwanda is in the hands of the youth.

Annually, Rwanda-one4one commits to funding school fees, uniforms and books for the children in our Rwandan families. In 2015, we funded the school fees for 4 children. In 2019, we are now funding 16 children's school fees. We know every child and their families. Each trimester we receive report cards to measure their success at school. 

Your generous support allows our Rwandan children to attend school, and more importantly not worry about if they can attend school. They are free to wake up each morning, put on their school uniforms and go to school each day, from kindergarten to 12th grade, and sleep each night with dreams of success in their hearts. Your kindness means everything to the youth of Rwanda, a new generation evolving.

Links:

• Rwanda-one4one

Wishing you and yours all the best this holiday season! We sincerely hope 2019 brings you good health and peace. 

Thanks to your generous support we have initiated the payments for the 2019 1st trimester school fees for 16 children in our Rwandan families. We also have paid for their uniforms, books and supplies. As the children are in holiday now we can rest assured they are going to attend school for the first trimester. The children are most excited and thankful for this opportunity to continue their education.

In addition, we are purchasing more fabrics that will be shipped to Rwanda in early spring for dyeing with plants in Rwanda for stunning new Umva wool and silk scarves and wraps. Umva sales are steady, both in the United States and globally. We have set new goals to broaden Umva's artisan products. One goal for 2019 is to employ trained Rwandan seamstresses to sew finished products from the Umva dyed yardage thus broadening our product line. In turn, this will employ seamstresses and return income to them and our amazing Umva dyers and their families in Rwanda. Always our focus is on creating income producing opportunities to Rwandans. Everyone must be lifted together to ensure stability and harmony. 

You are a valuable member of our work in Rwanda and we ask you to kindly consider making a donation as our year comes to a close. 

We place a high value on transparency and strive to maximize impact on every donation. Thank you for your past support and please know how grateful we are for your continued belief in our efforts allowing Rwandans to shine!

Links:

• Rwanda-one4one