Yesterday, our Project Manager, Paterne, interviewed two incredible women whose lives will be directly transformed by your Giving Tuesday donations. Their stories are a powerful reminder of the impact your generosity can make. Meet Seraphine: “I’m ICYITEGETSE Seraphine, a mother of eight from the Rugarika Sector. My husband works as a digger, and I earn money by crushing stones for construction. We don’t have land for agriculture, but thanks to GIFTS Rwanda, my children are able to attend school. Though my husband and I struggle to make ends meet, this project has given us hope. We are deeply grateful for your support. May God bless you." Meet Françoise: “My name is KAMAGAJU Françoise. I have two children, and we live with my younger sister and her two children. Our mother left us, and we’ve faced many challenges, including unplanned pregnancies. But through GIFTS Rwanda, my children now have their school fees paid, and they receive school materials. Your generosity has changed our lives, and I pray for all of you. Thank you so much.” These are the families you are supporting. While we may not be able to solve every problem, we can provide food, education, and hope for a better future. Remember, your gift will be TRIPLE matched for a limited time—every dollar you donate has 3X the power to uplift families from extreme poverty. This is your chance to make an even greater difference! We’ve raised $11,955 so far, and we need your help to reach our $20,000 goal. With your donation today, we can make sure families like Seraphine’s and Françoise’s continue to receive the life-changing support they need to thrive. Click HERE to donate now and help us reach our $20,000 goal! Your contribution will support families like these by providing education, food, and essential supplies, empowering them to build more joyful and abundant lives. Together, we can create lasting change. P.S. Will you help us spread the word? Share this blog with your friends, family, and colleagues so they can also be part of this incredible movement. Your support means the world to us!
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As we approach Giving Tuesday, I want to introduce you to one of the families your donation will directly impact. Pelagie Mukansanga, a mother of two daughters, shares a heartfelt story below about the challenges her family has faced. Due to financial hardship, her daughters were forced to leave school. Thanks to the support of GIFTS Rwanda, one of her daughters is learning to sew through our New Mom Sewing Group. Her other daughter has trained as a hairdresser but lacks the essential tools to begin working and supporting their family. You can hear more from Pelagie in her own words below, where she talks about their journey and how your contribution can help provide the materials needed for her daughter to start earning an income. With your help, they can begin rebuilding their lives and creating a brighter future. Today through Giving Tuesday, your donation will be matched 300%, meaning your gift can have 3X the impact for families like Pelagie’s. Together, we can give women and their families the opportunity to thrive. Thank you for being part of this life-changing mission. Your generosity truly makes a difference.
Anitha Uwimpuhwe, a member of the women's group in Rugarika, shares a powerful story about how GIFTS Rwanda has transformed not only her life but the lives of many women in her community. Through creating beaded bags, soaps, and lotions, and gaining essential life skills, these women are working together to achieve self-sufficiency. But they need your support to take the next step. By contributing to GIFTS Rwanda now, you can amplify your impact by 300% through our TRIPLE match Giving Tuesday 2024 campaign. And as a special recognition, any donor who gives $1,000 or more will have their name featured on a plaque in the women's meeting room, leaving a lasting legacy in the community. We’re raising funds to build a dedicated meeting room—a safe space where women can come together for training in money management, conflict resolution, and health education. It will also serve as a workshop and storefront for their products, empowering these women to create brighter futures for themselves and their families. Learn more about how your support will directly impact these initiatives in our latest blog post HERE. Your generosity can make this vision a reality. Watch Anitha’s story and discover how you can be a part of this life-changing mission. Together, we can triple the impact on education, housing, and community development. Thank you for helping us get closer to our goal and for sharing this blog with others. We couldn’t do this 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!
We’re thrilled to share a beautiful, full-circle story of resilience and community—a story you made possible through your support of GIFTS Rwanda. Meet Royce Nyirabishingwe, a grandmother raising three young children on her own. Their mother is currently imprisoned for illegal activity at the border, leaving her children heartbroken and longing to see her. Unfortunately, they had neither the means nor the opportunity to visit her in prison. But, thanks to your generosity, something incredible happened. Our New Moms Sewing Group, made up of young single mothers learning to sew as a means to uplift themselves out of extreme poverty, came together to help. With the fabric your donations provided, they crafted new clothes for the children, preparing them for the special moment they could reunite with their mother. And there’s more--Brigitte, the Director of GIFTS Rwanda, arranged for transportation, making it possible for the children to visit their mother in prison. What a powerful, heartwarming moment for this family! For the women in our sewing group, this was more than just an act of kindness. It was a deeply meaningful experience—a full-circle moment of mothers supporting other mothers, lifting each other up in the face of hardship. You made this possible. The people of Rugarika are transforming their lives and helping others, all because of opportunities you helped create and continue to fund. Take a moment to watch this heartfelt video from Royce, the grandmother who cares for these children, and hear the gratitude in her words. We’ve also included some beautiful photos below, capturing the children in their new clothes, lovingly crafted by the New Moms Sewing Group. You’ll also see Brigitte visiting the family in the home that GIFTS Rwanda, thanks to your support, built for them, along with an image showing them receiving the food and supplies your donations have made possible. You are changing lives—one family, one story at a time. Let’s continue this journey together.
One year ago today I took this video of Chantel and her children living in dirt. This past Sunday, I had the privilege of sharing Chantel's remarkable story with the congregation at West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (begins at 23:25). That morning, I received a photo of Chantel at a sewing machine, her face radiating pride as she looked at her daughter wearing a dress she had sewn. The joy and pride in both their faces are beyond words. This is the work of GIFTS Rwanda. This is the work of YOU. I am thrilled to update you on Chantel's incredible progress. Thanks to the funds raised by your support, Chantel and her children now have a safe and comfortable home. Chantel is now employed by GIFTS Rwanda, working as our cleaner. She helps maintain our chicken farm, which provides her family with fresh chickens and eggs. Additionally, she cleans our Multi-Purpose Center and has learned the valuable skill of sewing through our programs. Seeing Chantel transform her life and that of her children through the opportunities you helped create and you fund is profoundly moving. Please take a moment to view the photos below that capture the positive changes in Chantel's life. Your generosity made this transformation possible, and we are deeply grateful for your continued support. Thank you for being the reason this beautiful success story is able to be told.
Rwanda's national mourning period began on April 7th, with Kwibuka (Remembrance), the national commemoration ceremony. Brigitte and Paterne went to talk to the students of Rugarika to see how they are doing during this period set aside to remember the genocide victims. They had a beautiful visit and took a few pictures and videos to help us feel like we were there too.
Brigitte took time to look at the students reports and encourage them to work hard for a bright future as you can see in the photos above. They had a wonderful conversation and some girls even stood up and shared the strategies they have used to get top marks.
Paterne had a lovely talk with Jean who lives in Rugarika and is raising his siblings. They talked about what GIFTS Rwanda has done for him and his brothers and sisters. You can watch what Jean had to say in the video below. Jean's smile at the end of the video never fails to brighten my mood.
Brigitte had the opportunity to talk to a woman named Cecile who is part of the beadwork group in which GIFTS Rwanda sponsored the fees for the materials and training in 2021. Cecile is speaking to us as a representative of the beading group and she let Brigitte know they need more beads due to not being able to get the beads at the market. They have made many requests to no avail and are hoping we can help in getting these for them which we are able to do because of funds already raised by YOU! Listen to what she has to say below.
Stay tuned for more updates, new project announcements, and to hear even more stories that we continue to share from the people of Rugarika impacted by your generosity.
P.S. Want to add impact to your Inbox?! Enter your information below to receive email updates, inspiring stories, special announcements, exciting initiatives and more from GIFTS Rwanda! You can manage preferences an d unsubscribe anytime.
Meet Esther Mutaremara. She is a beautiful woman who has raised five orphans on her own. Or I should say on her own, with the support of GIFTS Rwanda. Her story is incredible and they would not be where they are without YOU. Click the video below to hear from Esther yourself: Remember, this story would not be possible without YOU. Thank you for your help turning this woman and the five orphaned children she cares for around. When you invest in GIFTS Rwanda, you are investing in Esther and her children, and you are proving that better days are ahead for the people of Rugarika. Bringing sustainable change to Rugarika will never be easy, but you make it possible. Thank you for your support of our mission. P.S. Inspire more giving by sharing GIFTS Rwanda website and social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) with your friends and family!
P.S.S. Looking for more ways to make an impact? Become a Monthly Giver! Simply click Recurring under Frequency on our Giving Page located here. Monthly Giving is the most effective way to continue the work serving this vulnerable community and creating sustainable change to raise the village of Rugarika out of poverty. No amount is too small!!
Better days are ahead because of you. We can all use some extra positivity in our inbox these days and I have a feeling this testimonial will do just the trick.
Click the video below to hear from Bernard!* *We apologize for the music making it hard to hear. The interview is taking place in their church and the church choir is practicing in the next room. I personally find the music and his voice quite lovely. Enjoy!
I hope Bernard's story inspires you. When you invest in GIFTS Rwanda, you are investing in the development of the community of Rugarika, you are empowering the real stories of people like Bernard, and you are proving that better days are ahead for the people of Rugarika.
Bringing sustainable change to Rugarika will never be easy, but you make it possible. Thank you for your support of our mission.
P.S. Want to see more video testimonials and add impact to your Inbox?! Enter your information below to receive email updates, inspiring stories, special announcements, exciting initiatives and more from GIFTS Rwanda! You can manage preferences an d unsubscribe anytime.
You are making the world brighter. Your generosity has brought hope, opportunity, and sustainable change; bringing us one step closer to lifting the people of Rugarika out of extreme poverty. Thank you for making this important work possible. Thank you for being a part of GIFTS Rwanda.
Click the video below to open a feel-good surprise!
The end of the inequalities we are facing in our world today starts with people like you generously helping other people far away, like the dear father in the video above who knows his son has a great chance at seeing his dreams come true as a result of him getting an education, animals for food, milk, eggs, and much more. Thank you so much for being a part of this family and many other families in Rugarika, Rwanda's journey and path to sustainability. We are all so excited, and again are so blessed to have you a part of our team!
Want to see more video testimonials and add impact to your Inbox?! Enter your information below to receive email updates, inspiring stories, special announcements, exciting initiatives and more from GIFTS Rwanda! You can manage preferences an d unsubscribe anytime. "I am called KAMAGAJU Francoise, I live with my two children, we are so happy because we are helped by GIFTS Rwanda. We get food and health insurance; I got a goat and rabbits and my life is changing due to the help from GIFTS Rwanda. " Did you know you can buy a family a goat ($60) or rabbits ($54 for 3)? Each animal provides a living, nutrition, and meat for that family. You can provide this for a family with a one time donation, or a monthly donation to go towards the purchase. Learn more about our many animal projects and how you can donate here. It is exciting to see our projects at work changing lives every day. It's people like you that are helping the people in Rugarika make these real sustainable changes, and it couldn't be done without you. THANK YOU for being a part of our team! P.S. Did you know you can donate a goat, chickens, or a cow to a family? Learn more about our projects and how you can give here.
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