Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Discovering The Successful Rwanda Education Assistance Project

By Virginia Jackson


When it comes to charity and education, REAP is at the forefront. Standing for rwanda education assistance project, the organization works to help boys and girls of the area develop educational skills which can lead to careers in a number of areas. While this is the case, it can often be difficult for many to learn about the program.

Since 2009, the organization has been working with one complex public school in Eastern Rwanda and the surrounding community. The organization hopes this work will help provide a better future for the Rwandan people through education. Part and parcel to that goal is allowing children the ability to learn in ways that will create productive and responsible citizens.

REAP has been working in the area since 2009, though it was founded much earlier in 2006. Children associated with the project participate in an environment that is fun and educational. For, the school works to educate children whom will become critical thinkers, problem solvers and compassionate leaders. After which, it is hoped that many students will develop a career in which the individual can use these and other skills.

The organization was founded by Rachel and Father Edward Ballen. The two had traveled to Rwanda to volunteer at a local orphanage. In the process, the two learned how much the children at the orphanage learned to love about trade skills. During the process, the two also discovered that a local school and food distribution center sat quite close to the orphanage.

While visiting the orphanage, the two became aware of the students desire to learn and were inspired to create the project. Having been discovered in 2006, it took up until 2008 before the non-profit began operating in the area. After which, the work with the children, orphanage and school began to take shape against the ongoing challenges and obstacles going on at the time.

As the children of the orphanage attend the local public school, the school was selected as a base for the organization to begin the project. In the process, REAP discovered that by focusing on one large but complex school and the surrounding community, it would be easier for the children to demonstrate skills which had been learned as part of the program. As the children are from a local orphanage, the organization also believed demonstrations of this nature would show that even the poorest and most vulnerable youth could benefit from the project.

Since inception in 2008, REAP has made a great deal of progress. The most recent reports from 2016 and 2017 reflect this reality in great detail. For, there is now a girls empowerment program, a school feeding program, a student learning program and student clubs. In addition, there has been a great deal of enhancement to a library, scholarships made available to students, computer training, collaborative partnerships and much needed accommodations for teachers.

The proof is somewhat sufficient that REAP has been a beneficial program in Rwanda and the surrounding area. While this is the case, without the support of donors, volunteers and project leaders, this would have never been the case. It is hoped that there will now be new project leaders, volunteers and financial donors so that the work can continue now and well into the future.




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