Street Scholars: From The Streets to The Classroom

You are receiving this Project Report since you are a current supporter of MindLeaps (formerly RDDC) GlobalGiving Program: “Street Scholars – From The Streets to The Classroom”.

Rwanda rw’ejo

There are many names for street children in Kinyarwanda, but today, the public no longer refers to these kids as ‘maibobo’ (an offensive term), but as ‘Rwanda rw’ejo’ – the leading generation of Rwanda’s future.

Two Leaders: Jean de Dieu and Rene

MindLeaps is currently hosting two top dancers in Kigali: Mark and Ashley, of Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal. They are providing special dance training for our local Rwandan teachers - a "train the trainers" workshop. Two of our top students, Jean de Dieu and Rene, have been given the special opportunity to attend this training. It is incredible to watch Jean de Dieu and Rene’s determination to pick up complicated dance steps at the same pace as their teachers. Their eagerness to learn is easily seen as they practice yesterday’s new moves over and over in the early morning hours before class.

These boys are natural leaders outside of the dance studio as well. Jean de Dieu is the brother to Passy, who is now succeeding at Sonrise boarding school (as highlighted in the last report). Jean de Dieu, who is twelve years old, began learning how to read and write for the first time when he joined MindLeaps last year. After dance class, Jean de Dieu, sits and copies letters of the alphabet from any simple book he can find. Just like in dance training, Jean de Dieu is determined to learn how to read and write, so that he can one day go to boarding school like his brother.

Rene, is often found looking after the young students in the program and restoring order in IT, English, and dance classes. Dancer, Ashley, saw that Rene was a natural leader in dance class and she had the opportunity to tell this to Rene’s mother during a visit to his home. Rene is a particular success story with MindLeaps. After attending our program for a year, he decided to leave the streets and return to his mother’s home in order to support his family. As a single mother of six children, life is not easy. Rene is the oldest in the family and works hard to take care of his younger siblings. His mother remarked that she is so thankful for the transformation that MindLeaps helped spark in Rene. As one of our top students, who has already come so far, we hope that Rene will one day be hired to join our team as a dance teacher– a solution that may lift his whole family out of poverty.

With their talent and motivation, we hope Jean de Dieu and Rene will one day teach dance to the next generation of street children. As they grow in self-esteem through dance and IT and continue to harness their leadership skills, there is no doubt that they will become the leaders of Rwanda’s future – rwanda rw’ejo.

Thank you for being a part of the future.

We would be grateful if you also considered sharing this project on Facebook and Twitter. 

Warm wishes and many thanks.

Links:

• Read Ashley and Mark's blogs on our facebook page
• Follow MindLeaps on Twitter