As we enter this season of gratitude and generosity, I want to share the stories of two incredible boys who are at the heart of our Giving Tuesday campaign this year--Eric and Jacques. ​

Their courage, their hope, and their determination are deeply humbling… and together, we have a chance to give them something life-changing: safety and stability.

Eric: A 17-Year-Old Brother Carrying the Weight of a Family
Many of you may remember Eric. At just 17, he is caring for his three younger siblings--Liliane (16), Jeremy (12), and Vedaste (8)—after losing their mother earlier this year. Their mother, Clementine, passed away from heart disease and organ failure, leaving the four children orphaned.

Thanks to your generosity during our Give $5, Challenge 5 campaign, Eric is now attending a secondary boarding school where he’s working hard toward his dream of studying construction. While he’s away at school, his sister Liliane is caring for their younger brothers, and your support has also allowed her to continue her education.

In August, during our visit to the Rugarika community, we had the opportunity to meet Eric’s family in person—Eric, his siblings, and their grandparents. We saw firsthand the conditions they are living in: a home that is unsafe, unstable, and far from what any child should have to endure. Despite their circumstances, the children welcomed us with warmth and hope.
​
We are currently supporting Eric’s education and providing food for his siblings, but our goal now is to give them something every child deserves: safer, more stable shelter.

Jacques: A Quiet Strength After Unthinkable Loss
When we visited Rwanda this August, we traveled deep into the rural hills to meet Jacques, a boy whose resilience is nothing short of extraordinary.

Jacques witnessed the unimaginable: his father took his mother’s life and is now serving a life sentence. Although community members stepped in to adopt the children, Jacques was separated from his siblings. Today, he lives in unsafe conditions, many hours away from his school. Each day, he walks nearly two hours each way on steep, hilly terrain just to reach the community center—the one place he feels secure.

His dream is simple but profound:
to attend boarding school and one day return home to live safely with his brother once their family home can be repaired.​

Standing at his doorstep—after climbing down and back up the winding hills he walks every single day—our team knew:
Jacques deserves safety. He deserves stability. And he deserves a chance.

This Giving Tuesday, We’re Coming Together to Fight for Both Boys and Their Families 

Your gift today is doubled thanks to two generous matches:

• $10,000 from an anonymous donor
• $10,000 from Boeing

We are raising $20,000, which will unlock $20,000 more, bringing $40,000 directly into the community.

Here’s how your Giving Tuesday gift will transform lives:

1. $19,500 — Build a Safe Home for Eric & Jacques
Your support will help construct a GIFTS Rwanda duplex home that both boys can live in while they continue their education. It will give them:

• safety
• stability
• the emotional and physical security every child deserves

And once Eric and Jacques eventually transition to homes of their own, this structure will continue serving future children and mothers in crisis. A home that keeps giving.

2. $3,300 — Food Support & Farming Empowerment
You’ll help provide vital food supplies to families in crisis, including Eric’s and Jacques, and support five families in beginning to cultivate their own land for long-term food security.

You Can Be Part of Their Story
Eric and Jacques have endured hardship far beyond their years… but they have also shown extraordinary strength and hope.
Your generosity today will give them what no child should go without:
a safe place to live, a full stomach, and the chance to focus on their future.

Give now and DOUBLE your impact.
Every gift gets us closer to opening the doors of a safe home for these two boys.

Early Givers Wall of Champions
We’re so grateful for the donors who have already stepped forward with early gifts to kickstart this campaign. Their support is bringing us closer to unlocking the full match and ensuring Eric and Jacques get the stability they need.

Current Total Raised: $10,343

Champions So Far:

• Barbara W.
• Stan M.
• Will J.
• Barbie K.
• Brian and Darla B.
• Norman S.
• Jonathan and Joy M.
• Carolyn D.
• Aaron M.
• Matthew B.
• Laura and Ben S.
• Charles and Karon S.
• Karen S.
• Michael P.
• Christina F.
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
  
  

If you prefer to remain anonymous, we will list you as “Anonymous” with gratitude.

As we gather with loved ones and pause to reflect on gratitude this Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to say thank you — truly. Your support, kindness, and belief in the mission of GIFTS Rwanda continue to transform lives in ways both big and small.

Today, I want to share a story that captures the heart of what your generosity makes possible.

This week, our team in Rugarika sent photos of students who received rabbits through our Rabbit Farming Project. The project began as a small pilot to help vulnerable children and families build a sustainable source of food and income.

Now?

It has grown into a thriving, self-sustaining program.

The rabbits you helped provide have multiplied — and the students who first received them are now bringing rabbits back to the center to pass them on to other children in need.

A gift that was once given… is now being given again.

Hope is multiplying.

And community is growing stronger.

On a day dedicated to gratitude, this feels especially meaningful to share with you.

Thank you for believing in these children. Thank you for investing in dignity, opportunity, and sustainable change. Thank you for being part of this family.

As Giving Tuesday approaches next week, we look forward to sharing more stories of impact — and we invite you to join our Wall of Champions by giving early if you feel inspired. But today is simply about gratitude.

From our team in Rwanda, from the families we serve, and from my heart — Happy Thanksgiving.
​
May your holiday be filled with warmth, connection, and abundant joy.

As we continue our Giving Tuesday campaign, I want to share something that filled my heart during my trip to Rwanda in August — a moment of pure joy that reminded me how even the smallest gifts can create something extraordinary.

When my daughter Payton’s soccer team transitioned from Albion to CVSC this year, her team donated their Albion gear — socks, shorts, shirts, jackets, and even soccer backpacks — so we could bring them to the kids in Rugarika. We also brought soccer balls donated and purchased by YOU, our generous supporters.

What happened next still makes me smile.

Paterne, one of our GIFTS Rwanda team members, used the donated gear to create a real soccer team in the village.

Children who had never owned their own ball…
kids who play barefoot in the dirt…
now had matching uniforms, bags, jerseys, and a team to belong to.

When the kids put on their new gear for the first time, the pride on their faces was unforgettable. They stood taller. They smiled bigger. They felt seen — and they felt like athletes.

And then the field came alive.

Dozens of children laughing, running, chasing balls, shouting each other’s names. Joy in motion. Community in motion. Hope in motion. All because a group of 11-year-old girls in Oregon decided to give generously.

All because people like you believe in lifting others up.

Giving Tuesday Update — 19 Early Champions!
Our Wall of Champions continues to grow, and your early gifts are fueling incredible momentum.

Please join me in celebrating and thanking our 19 Early Champions:

• Barbara W.
• Stan M.
• Will J.
• Barbie K.
• Brian and Darla B.
• Norman S.
• Jonathan and Joy M.
• Carolyn D.
• Aaron M.
• Matthew B.
• Laura and Ben S.
• Charles and Karon S.
• Karen S.
• Michael P.
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
  
  

If you prefer to remain anonymous, we will list you as “Anonymous” with gratitude.

Why this matters
Sports build confidence, teamwork, discipline, and joy.

But in Rugarika, they also build something even more powerful:
A sense of possibility.
When children feel supported, their dreams expand.
When a village feels seen, its strength grows.

​This is what your Giving Tuesday support makes possible.

Help us continue this momentum
Your gift — in any amount — helps us continue supporting kids like these with:

• access to education
• food support
• safe homes
• women’s programs
• and community-building efforts that uplift the entire village

Every donation brings us closer to our Giving Tuesday goal and strengthens our work for the year ahead.

Meet Rachel
Rachel Umuhoza is 16 years old and in the sixth grade. She lives in Rugarika with her 69-year-old grandmother, Beatrice, in a crumbling one–room house. Rachel is an orphan; Beatrice has lost all of her children. She now walks only with the help of two sticks.

Food is scarce. Some days, they find a little to eat. Many days, they go to bed hungry.

When you speak with Beatrice, the sorrow in her voice is unmistakable. She has endured unimaginable loss — yet her love for Rachel is unwavering.

But thanks to your support, Rachel is no longer facing these hardships alone.

Your generosity is already making a difference
With donor support, we were able to:

• Pay Rachel’s school fees so she could return to school
• Provide basic food staples like rice, maize flour, cooking oil, sugar, and soap (all in sealed 5kg bags to protect them from theft)
• Give her access to fresh vegetables from our community garden whenever she needs them
• Ensure she can attend evening study sessions as she prepares for Rwanda’s national primary exam

The photo below shows Rachel receiving these supplies late in the evening — she had stayed after school to study, determined to do her very best.

This is the difference you make.

This is what dignity, stability, and opportunity look like.

And below, you’ll also see and hear directly from both Rachel and Beatrice. Their photos and video testimonials are below. I hope you’ll take a moment to listen — their courage is humbling.

WALL OF CHAMPIONS
Your early gifts are fueling this campaign with momentum and hope.

These early givers are helping launch our campaign with momentum and bringing us closer to our goal faster.

Thank you to our Early Champions:

• Barbara W.
• Stan M.
• Will J.
• Barbie K.
• Brian and Darla B.
• Norman S.
• Johnathan and Joy M.
• Carolyn D.
• Aaron M.
• Matthew B.
• Laura and Ben S.
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Anonymous
  
  

If you prefer not to have your name listed, we are always honored to recognize your gift as Anonymous while celebrating the impact you make.

Early giving propels us forward — helping us reach our goal faster and opening the door for even more students, elders, and families to receive support just like Rachel and Beatrice.

Why your Giving Tuesday gift matters
Your generosity provides:

• Education for students who have no one else to rely on
• Food and basic necessities for the most vulnerable families
• Locally led programs that restore dignity, confidence, and opportunity
• Sustainable change that begins with love — and grows into independence

Every dollar you give directly transforms lives in Rugarika.
And this year, your Giving Tuesday gift goes even further through our DOUBLE match — multiplying your impact for students like Rachel.

You can be the reason a child goes to school tomorrow.

​You can be the reason a grandmother sleeps knowing her granddaughter will eat.

You can be the reason hope grows in Rugarika.

​Give today and be part of the change.

Early Gifts Build Early Momentum
This year, we’re celebrating the people who give early through our brand-new:

WALL OF CHAMPIONS
These early givers are helping launch our campaign with momentum and bringing us closer to our goal faster.

Thank you to our Early Champions:
• Barbara W.
• Stan M.
• Will J.
• Barbie K.
• Anonymous
• Anonymous

If you prefer not to have your name listed, we’re happy to recognize your gift as “Anonymous” while still celebrating your impact!

Your early support inspires others to join in, and we greatly appreciate you.

Why Your Support Matters
Every dollar you give directly supports the people of Rugarika through projects that are locally led and community-driven.

Your generosity fuels progress that is sustainable, shared, and deeply personal.

Together, we’re showing what’s possible when love, dignity, and opportunity take root.
​
If you’d like to become an Early Champion, you can make your gift today.

Starting NOW we are raising $20,000 by the end of the day on December 2nd to support women and families in Rwanda. If we reach our goal, an anonymous donor will contribute $10,000 and Boeing will match another $10,000 — doubling your impact to $40,000!

Together, we can build brighter futures. Give today and help unlock both matches!
How Your Giving Tuesday Gift Will Change Lives in Rwanda:

Every dollar you give this Giving Tuesday will go directly toward transforming lives in the Rugarika community. Together, we can create safety, stability, and opportunity where it’s needed most.

• $19,500 — Safe Housing for Eric and Jacques
  Your support will help build a duplex home for Eric and Jacques, two teenage students who currently have no safe place to live. This will be a GIFTS Rwanda home, providing them with safety, stability, and a supportive environment as they continue their education. Once Erik and Jacques are stable and able to secure their own housing, the home will be used to shelter other children or mothers in need, ensuring it continues to serve and uplift the community for years to come.
  
  • Jacques has endured unimaginable hardship — his father took his mother’s life and is now serving a life sentence. Though the community stepped in to help, Jacques was separated from his siblings and now lives in unsafe conditions, walking hours each day to reach school.
  • Eric lives with his siblings — Liliane, Jeremy, and Vedaste — and their grandparents in extremely difficult conditions. His mother recently passed away from cancer, leaving the children orphaned.

We’re already supporting Eric’s education and providing food for his siblings, but through this campaign, we hope to give both Eric and Jacques what every child deserves — a safe, stable home.

• $3,300 — Food Support and Farming Empowerment
  This portion will provide essential food supplies to Eric, Jean, and Rachel, and milk for baby Peace. It will also help five families begin cultivating their own land, offering immediate hunger relief while building long-term food security.

• $30,000 — Scholarships for 154 Students
  We have two more tuition payments to make this school year — one in January and one in April — to cover scholarships for 154 of the village’s most vulnerable children:
  44 in primary school
  101 in secondary school
  9 in university
  
  Your gifts ensure these students can stay in school and continue pursuing their dreams — including many who have no family support system at all.
  
• $2,300 — Tailoring Training for 25 Young Women
  We’ve already funded $3,100 of this program, with just $2,300 left to complete it. Your generosity will allow 25 young women to finish their tailoring training and receive their certificates and sewing machines — equipping them to earn income, support their families, and serve their community with pride.
  

Your gift this Giving Tuesday will change lives — providing safety, education, nourishment, and opportunity for families in Rwanda.

While these combined projects total $55,100, our campaign goal remains $40,000. Reaching that milestone will give us incredible traction to complete every one of these action items by year’s end — and we believe, with your help, we can make it happen.

Together, we can do this. 

Through a connection made by my nonprofit coach, Maryanne Dersch, I met Andrea Kazindra, Musana’s inspiring founder. Together, we arranged this powerful opportunity for learning and collaboration—a trip focused on growth, sustainability, and shared purpose.

Below are photos from the visit: a tailoring room where young women are trained to become skilled tailors, the Empowerment Center, where programs and activities equip individuals and communities with skills for lasting change, and Paterne greeting students at one of Musana’s primary schools.

From November 9th–12th, Brigitte and Paterne experienced firsthand how Musana has built a self-sustaining model of transformation, now operating schools, health centers, empowerment centers, and even hotels across three districts. They were warmly welcomed and generously shown every step of Musana’s journey—from humble beginnings in a rented house to becoming a leading example of community-led development.

Highlights from the visit:​

• Touring Musana’s schools, vocational programs, and health centers

• Learning about how Musana supports its staff with housing and healthcare

• Seeing the strength of their culture of prayer and collaboration

• Building a new partnership rooted in shared values and a vision for sustainable growth

Brigitte shared, “We were very pleased with their hospitality and the ways they helped us learn how to develop like them—they shared everything with us.”

This trip marks a turning point for GIFTS Rwanda—a step toward expanding our impact, creating lasting systems of sustainability, and continuing to empower the community of Rugarika with dignity and purpose.

Please enjoy the photos from their journey below, featuring: chalk production, a student learning to knit sweaters, Brigitte visiting the Empowerment Center, a bakery within the Empowerment Center, a community health center, and a hairdressing training room at the Empowerment Center.

We can’t wait to apply what we’ve learned and to continue building partnerships that lift and inspire.