Rwandan Street Children Closing The Digital Divide

Dear Supporters,

Thank you for making a contribution since September 2013 to RDDC's "Rwandan Street Children Closing The Digital Divide".  This short report is a chance for us to update you on the progress of children in Rwanda attending the IT program that you helped to make possible last year.

The program is now serving approximately 50 street children per week.  Since January, the students have learned how to set up Skype accounts and make calls to one another.  Our Rwandan IT teachers, Bashir Karenzi and Innocent Nkusi, follow a specific IT curriculum developed by Gandzo Web Team (based in Croatia/Bosnia-Herzegovina).

Here is the story of one of our particular students, re-told by our Country Director Eugene Dushime in the field...

“I am feeling very good because I eat every day and I can use a computer. Now, I don’t worry anymore about the sun.” - Fils, RDDC Student & Former Street Child

Fils is a very curious young boy. He is always asking many questions about the Internet and life in general (religion, life after death).  Last week, Fils didn’t attend RDDC dance class because he was “not in a good mood”.  I [Country Director Eugene Dushime] joined him outside the dance class while he was sitting alone, contemplating the sky. 

Eugene: How did you end up on the street?

Fils: I was tired of getting bitten by my father.  I decided to join other kids on the street.

Eugene: How does it feel to live on the street when you are as young as you are? 

Fils: Oh very bad.  The hunger and the sun are the biggest threats I faced on the street.

Eugene: The “Sun?”

Fils: Yes, the sun was Enemy #1.  When you are on the street and you have to eat, the first place you hope to find food is in the trash can. When you don’t find it, you pray, asking the lord to show you someone who will throw a piece of a cigarette, or a friend who can be compassionate and share the glue or cannabis.

Eugene: Are you telling me that you took those drugs on the streets?

Fils: Yes!

Eugene: Then how is the sun your biggest enemy?

Fils: When you take those drugs, you can’t walk under the sun. It feels like your body is burning inside and outside. All you have to do is find a dark place and sleep until night, which is the hardest and most challenging time to find food. During the night, restaurants and the market are all closed, and the police is patrolling, looking for bad people. It is too dangerous.

Eugene: How do you feel now?

Fils: Very good.

Eugene: What makes you feel very good?

Fils: Because I eat every day and I can use a computer now.  I don’t worry about the sun any more.

Fils is a regular RDDC student; he is smart and motived in IT. He earned 85 out of 100 in his IT test last week. Fils can open Microsoft Paint, draw and save his document without any assistance from his teacher. When asked about his future, his response is the same all the time: 

“Ndashaka kuyobora ibihugu,” said Fils in local language, which means: “I want to leads countries.”

Thank you for giving a child like Fils - and 49 others - a chance to hope and a skill to use to advance his life.

Links:

• Interactive Annual Report 2013