I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge an important period that begins today, one that holds great significance for Rwanda and the world. Today marks the start of the 100 Days of Mourning, a time when we remember the genocide that took place against the Tutsi community in Rwanda. The genocide, which occurred in 1994, was a dark chapter in human history, resulting in the loss of an estimated one million lives. It is crucial that we honor the memory of those who perished, pay tribute to the survivors, and reflect upon the lessons learned from this tragedy. As supporters of GIFTS Rwanda, we work to help the people of Rwanda rebuild their lives and communities, and it is essential that we stand together during this period of mourning. This is an opportune time for us to reaffirm our commitment to promoting healing, reconciliation, and sustainable development in Rwanda. Over the years, our organization has worked closely with local partners and communities to provide essential support and resources to those affected by the genocide. Through our collective efforts, we have witnessed remarkable resilience and progress in Rwanda, but we must continue to support and uplift the survivors and their families. During these 100 Days of Mourning, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the immense loss endured by the Tutsi community and the impact it has had on Rwanda as a whole. Let us remember the lives that were taken too soon and the strength of those who survived. This is also an opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to the cause of justice, peace, and reconciliation. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our cause. By standing together, we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by the genocide and contribute to a brighter future for Rwanda.
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I'm thrilled to share some exciting updates from GIFTS Rwanda! To start, I'm delighted to announce that the first building at our Multi-Activity Community Center is now COMPLETE! This marks a significant milestone in our journey. To celebrate, we've welcomed our second cohort of participants into our New Mom Sewing Co-Op, warmly embracing 15 new mothers into the program! Our Project Manager in Rugarika, Brigitte, played a pivotal role in welcoming the new moms to the facility. They engaged in various activities, fostering teamwork and building strong relationships. Additionally, we've added security measures by hiring two dedicated security guards to ensure the safety of our premises and the valuable sewing machines housed within. Furthermore, I'm thrilled to share that we're on the brink of completing our Action Plan and submitting it to the Rwandan Government for NGO (Nonprofit Government Organization) application. The final steps involve submitting our Bylaws, Job Descriptions, and the list of Board members for our new Rwandan team. Brigitte, Paterne, and I are diligently working on this, and we anticipate completing the application by the end of this month.
Thank you for your unwavering support, which has been instrumental in achieving these milestones. Together, we're making a tangible difference in the lives of the community members in Rugarika. This Valentine's Day marked a unique endeavor for GIFTS Rwanda. Our dedicated team member, Brigitte, accompanied by our head seamstress from the New Mom Sewing Cohort, Claudine, journeyed to Uganda to collaborate with Phoebe Nabwami, the Coordinator of The MoonCatcher Project in Uganda. Their mission? To acquire the skills needed to sew The MoonCatcher Kit and produce bar soap. GIFTS Rwanda has joined forces with The MoonCatcher Project to establish a reusable menstrual pad program for school-age girls in Rugarika. Our New Mom Sewing Co-Op will spearhead the production of these pads, introducing them as a new line of sewing business. The pads will be sold in local markets and distributed free of charge to schoolgirls, ensuring they can continue their education uninterrupted during their menstrual cycles. The MoonCatcher Project graciously covered all associated costs, with GIFTS Rwanda only responsible for travel expenses and materials necessary to kickstart the project. We extend our deepest gratitude to Ellie, Phoebe, and the entire team at The MoonCatcher Project for equipping GIFTS Rwanda with invaluable skills that will empower our community members to support their families and pursue their dreams. Enjoy these photos and videos from their time together...
We are incredibly grateful to you, our donors, for enabling us to expand our reach and impact on girls and women. Your support means the world to us!
Celebrate GIFTS Rwanda's Year of Progress As we reflect on the past year, our hearts are filled with gratitude for your support. It is because of you that our work at GIFTS Rwanda has been made possible. Together, we have accomplished significant milestones, and we take pride in the meaningful progress that has been achieved. We invite you to unwrap the impact you've helped create in 2023—your generosity and dedication have played a vital role in shaping our journey. Thank you for being an essential part of GIFTS Rwanda's mission. Here is Your 2023 Impact Unwrapped. For the first time, two board members, Karina and Albert Alvarez, along with myself, journeyed to the village we support in Rugarika, Rwanda. I documented each day of our trip in the "Rugarika Trip 2023" category on our website. You can find it HERE. We accomplished the following on our trip:
Together we ran our Giving Tuesday 2023 Put People First campaign and you raised $36,276.02 for the following:
All projects done in Rugarika 2023 because of you:
Fun Facts...You helped bring in $110,791 so far in 2023!! Here's how that compares to past years:
WAY TO GO!!!!!!!Exciting Next Steps...We are continuing to build the Multi Activity Community Center—a project made possible by your generous support! The additions will include a dedicated space for our soap and bag making projects, eliminating the need for outdoor work and costly storage solutions at the school. Additionally, we're creating a small stockroom, meeting room, and a space for community talks, covering vital topics such as malnutrition and reproductive health for young girls and their mothers. Adjacent to the building, we're reserving an area for gardens and expanding the chicken farm to process meat. A small on-site store will showcase and sell the items crafted, grown, and produced on the grounds. For a more in-depth look at our plans, check out the videos from Paterne, Brigitte, and myself below.
Testimonials...Have you had a chance to visit our YouTube page lately? It's filled with heartfelt testimonials we've gathered from the incredible people in Rugarika this year. Take a moment to immerse yourself in these stories—they beautifully capture the real impact of GIFTS Rwanda in the lives of those we serve. To watch these testimonials and explore our other videos, simply click here. We believe these videos offer a genuine insight into the positive transformations happening in Rugarika, all thanks to your support and the work of GIFTS Rwanda. Below is one of my favorites from Alice. If you made it down this far THANK YOU! You are a world changer and a crucial part of making these initiatives a reality. Your ongoing support is truly transforming lives and empowering communities.
Remember, the year is not over. You can still make a difference with your tax-deductible gift for a family in Rugarika that can change everything for them. Thank you for being a vital part of our journey, and we hope you enjoy witnessing the meaningful change you've helped make possible. Thank you for being that person. This year's Giving Tuesday campaign was a HUGE success! Your support for the people of Rugarika made a significant impact, tripling the support for educational initiatives, housing, community development, and more, improving the lives of the people of Rugarika. We're excited to announce that with our triple match, we raised a total of $36,140. THANK YOU for being a part of an incredible campaign of giving and for changing so many lives with your generosity. By joining forces, you are allowing the following to happen: • $5,000 to launch MoonCatcher Project in Rugarika to support our New Mom Sewing Co-op and local schoolgirls sponsored by GIFTS Rwanda. Our lead seamstress and team member, Brigitte, will travel to Uganda to collaborate with MoonCatcher project manager. She will accommodate them, provide training, assist with vendor visits, and guide them in sourcing materials. This partnership aims to establish a new line of sewing business for our New Mom Sewing Co-Op, selling MoonCatchers in markets and providing them at no cost to schoolgirls, ensuring they stay in school during their menstrual cycles. The MoonCatcher Project generously covers all efforts without charge; we only need to cover travel expenses and materials to get the project off the ground. • $2,700 to launch New Mom Sewing Coop. Initiate a second cohort of young single mothers to join our New Mom Sewing Co-op. Offer training and supplies to 20 pregnant, unwed mothers in a tailoring co-op, providing a six-month education and a pathway to sustainable livelihoods. • $6,140 of domestic animals and vegetable gardens. Create large vegetable gardens on our community center property and provide domestic animals to families, including those of new students we sponsor and survivors of the genocide who no longer receive government support. • $16,300 for home construction. Fund home construction for house to shelter homeless single mother and her children, as well as complete a partially built home currently housing a grandmother with her daughters and their four children. • $8,000 for community center construction. Construct a dedicated space on our community center property for our beaded bags and soap making group, offering a versatile area for group activities, meetings, and community talks. The space will also serve as a platform for educating the community on topics like combating malnutrition and promoting reproductive health among young girls and their mothers. None of this would be possible without you and we are so grateful for you. As we celebrate, we know there are many more who still need our support. You can join the fight and send real, sustainable change, freedom, and hope to the people of Rugarika today. THANK YOU for your help. We appreciate YOU so much!
Have you considered turning this 3x match into your year-end tax-deductible holiday gift donations? That's our plan this year—my two girls, Payton (9) and Addie (7), my husband Aaron, and I are excited to make a meaningful impact by choosing to contribute as our holiday gifts to each other this year. We are OVER 70% to meeting our match but there are still matching dollars out there and this is such an incredible opportunity to show our children what the holidays are all about- Putting People First. Is there someone in your life you feel would be touched by the work GIFTS Rwanda is doing? Is there a possibility they would like to be a part of this opportunity that will change the lives of these young families? We will never know unless we ask and give them the chance. We are collecting donations for this matching campaign through December 1st and it's so easy to share. Simply share the campaign details HERE or share any of our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Can I count on you to share with just one person? Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help bringing joy and purpose to these beautiful people's lives and for helping us reach more people than ever before! THANK YOU for your help. We appreciate YOU so much! P.S. Will you help us spread the word? Share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues to let them know what GIFTS Rwanda is up to and what an enormous impact they have the opportunity to be a part of, too! Thank you so much!
What a perfect day for GIFTS Rwanda to receive their very first GRANT!! Check out a screen shot of BryteBridge's Instagram post below and learn more HERE on their FB post announcing the winners! Because we have been awarded a $1,000 grant from BryteBridge on Giving Tuesday we are able to get it TRIPLED as part of our TRIPLE match Giving Tuesday 2023 campaign, making the grant $3,000!! But we are not done. We are over half way to our goal and our TRIPLE match Giving Tuesday 2023 campaign match ends soon. That means your impact will be TRIPLED, but only for a limited time. Will you join us and send 3X the opportunity to people Rugarika before the day ends? P.S. Will you help us spread the word? Share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues to let them know what GIFTS Rwanda is up to and what an enormous impact they have the opportunity to be a part of, too! Thank you so much!
Have I shared this story with you? It seems fitting for me to share with you the story of Nala and her six children on the day of Giving Tuesday. A day dedicated to our commitment to Put People First. When Albert, Karina, and I visited the village of Rugarika in August, we toured several homes constructed by GIFTS Rwanda and had the chance to meet the people now sheltered due to your generosity. After a long day of walking many miles, we reached the final home. On our hike back to the road, we encountered a family of six living in heartbreaking conditions. Witnessing their situation deeply moved Albert and me, making it the most emotional moment of our entire trip. A young boy was napping on the ground while the other children greeted us. We quickly provided them with shoes, clothing off our backs, and a small amount of money for food. While we may not solve every problem, we can build a home for this family. As part of our TRIPLE match Giving Tuesday 2023 campaign, we are working to raise funds to construct a home for the family above, as well as to complete the half-constructed home for the three-generation family below. By contributing to GIFTS Rwanda now, you have the opportunity to magnify the impact of your donation 300% through our TRIPLE match Giving Tuesday 2023 campaign. I invite you to join us in changing the lives of families in Rugarika—individuals just like the beautiful grandmother below. She lost her entire family, along with her home and all her belongings, in the Genocide. You helped build her a home, provided animals for food and as a means of making a small income, and gave her a second chance at life. Her gratitude and joy in finally meeting the people behind GIFTS Rwanda are sentiments I carry with me every day. By joining forces, you can triple the impact and provide the shelter these people deserve to make their lives better. THANK YOU for helping us get closer to our goal and spreading the word by sharing this blog. This work truly wouldn't be possible without you! P.S. Will you help us spread the word? Share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues to let them know what GIFTS Rwanda is up to and what an enormous impact they have the opportunity to be a part of, too! Thank you so much!
Following a spree of days dedicated to commercial spending like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday — Giving Tuesday is different: It’s a global day focused on giving back to those in need. Don't forget, for a limited time, your donation to GIFTS Rwanda's Giving Tuesday will be TRIPLE matched dollar-for-dollar, thanks to the support of our generous matching donors. This means your contribution will have TRIPLE the impact! Click HERE to learn more! We're thrilled to share that we're approaching $5,000, but there's still a long road ahead. Donating today will be three times as effective in reaching our $20,000 Giving Tuesday goal. Now is the perfect time to contribute. Your generosity is helping children receive the education, love and care they need, to know that they have a future – no matter what’s happened to them in the past. P.S. Will you help us spread the word? Share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues to let them know what GIFTS Rwanda is up to and what an enormous impact they have the opportunity to be a part of, too! Thank you so much
Meet Alice. She was a young, single, pregnant girl facing the challenges that come with such circumstances. Struggling with extreme poverty and lacking the necessary education or skill set, Alice was determined to provide a better life for herself and her unborn child. Today, thanks to GIFTS Rwanda's beading and soap making group, Alice has acquired valuable skills in crafting purses and soap. In a generous gesture, Alice has shared her inspiring journey and aspirations with us. Among her dreams is the desire to join our upcoming New Mom Sewing Co-op, where she can receive training, sewing supplies, and a six-month education, paving the way for a sustainable livelihood for herself and her child. As part of our TRIPLE match Giving Tuesday 2023 campaign, we are actively raising funds to support 20 new or pregnant moms, including Alice, living in extreme poverty with dreams of a stable livelihood. Your support can make a significant impact, with this initiative costing only $135 per young mother. Thanks to Boeing and a generous donor, your contribution is currently being TRIPLE matched. Your donation today will be three times as effective in helping us reach our $40,000 Giving Tuesday goal! This is an ideal moment to contribute what you can. Your generosity plays a crucial role in providing young girls like Alice with the love and care they need, ensuring they have a promising future, regardless of their past challenges. Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference. P.S. Will you help us spread the word? Share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues to let them know what GIFTS Rwanda is up to and what an enormous impact they have the opportunity to be a part of, too! Thank you so much!
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