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Month: July 2020

Team Member Spotlight: Dieudonne Irakoze

Posted on by RAS

The first day I was at the center without Yvette and Fred, I did not understand.

I had a fear that paralyzed my emotions.

Staying at the Center with four kids, I did not understand how life would be without them around.

As days went on, Fred and Dr. Appoline came to visit us.

They understood my fear of staying alone.

They helped convince the children to respect the sanitation measures and created home activities to help keep them busy.

We don’t know when this will end and sometimes I feel insecure, but the cooperation and sympathy of the team have resurrected my hope. They are always calling me and asking about the center.

Stay hopeful, wash your hands, and keep social distancing.

About Dieudonne

Dieudonne was born and raised in Rwanda. He completed high school and taught modern languages at Teacher Training College. He currently lives at the Center in Rwanda; he cooks, cleans and watches children who temporarily stay at the Center in between transitioning off the street and returning to their community.

He joined Rising Above the Storms (RAS) via Peace Builders NGO in February 2018 serving as caregiver and housekeeper at the Center. Dieudonne enjoys cooking, cleaning, and washing clothes and also likes so much music and basketball.

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Facing the coronavirus from inside the Center: Eric’s story

Posted on by RAS

At the Center, Fred and Yvette act not only as counselors to the kids, but as guides in their lives. That is why the kids at the Center often refer to them as Teacher. One of those kids is Eric. Eric is one of four kids who live at the Center, and who have stayed there throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Twice a week, Fred is checking in on the kids at the Center. When asked to see how Eric was doing, this was his story.

“Ah teacher, it is so boring for us. We don’t get to see our fellow friends from the Center to have fun and play football together. We are not going outside of the fence and we are afraid of this virus and how it has threatened people and weakened everything in our country and the world.

In order to respect the 2 meter social distancing rule, we are not allowed to play together. I feel insecure and we don’t know when this will end.

How much longer will this continue?

What will happen to us?

Will we continue to have food?

What about the kids in our community who are not with us?

Maybe after the coronavirus, I won’t see my friends. I often worry about what is happening to them.

Teacher, will we be able to take our final exam in primary 6? Or we will redo this year? It is not certain or clear. I do fear that I will have to repeat this year. The coronavirus has made me feel uncertain about tommorow.

Alone in the garden, I try to revise my class notes and read but my attention is limited. I just want to hear about the solutions for the virus.

My afternoons in the Center are very hard. My days are long since I cannot play with the others. Dieudonne [the caregiver and housekeeper at the Center] reminds us to keep our distance and we fear getting too close to each other.

Nothing is making sense, and I play alone.”

Team Member Spotlight: Yvette Uyisabye

Posted on by RAS

In the beginning I did not understand. I thought that the quarantine would only last a few days. The Center was not prepared, and our provisions were only for a few days.

I was shocked every time I sat and watched the news from around the world.

I was terrified and could not sleep when I thought about what would happen to our kids who were asked to stay home, with no class.

Because they are poor, the coronavirus will have tremendous consequences for the families of our kids.

Even though I continue to work online and stay informed about what is happening with the kids still at the center, I feel sad to hear what is happening.

My family is also quarantined. From time to time we are well off and together, but the new normal does not give us time to rest.

Staying at home, washing our hands, and social distancing are rules applied in my family.

About Yvette

Born and raised in Rwanda, Yvette is an office administrator and councelor for Rising Above the Storms.

She completed her bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Education of Kibungo (INATEK) located in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. She is a Therapist by profession and she likes to lend a year and be a positive impact in her community and society.

Yvette served as a Primary teacher for 5 years before she started college; she loves children and likes to see them make great choices and decisions for their future. She first served as a volunteer (counselor) for a local NGO Peace Builders, and was hired full time after RAS entered partnership with Peace Builders in 2016; PeaceBuilders’ vision and mission is to improve the lives of children, family planning and early childhood development. Its partnership with RAS focus on youth-at-risk (street children) in Rwanda.

Yvette lives in Rwanda with her husband.

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Facing the coronavirus from inside the Center: Saidi’s story

Posted on by RAS

Saidi is one of four kids who live at the Center, and who have stayed there throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Twice a week, Fred – a counselor for Rising Above the Storms – is checking in on the kids at the Center. When asked to see how Saidi was doing, this was his story.

“Here, whatever you touch, you have to wash your hands with soap and clean water. Our hands have never been so clean. While we do respect prevention through sanitation, you start to dream about washing your hands.

I become hopeless and fearful when I think about my friends being back on the street.

Are they safe?

Are they respecting this measure of sanitation? Ha, they possibly can’t.

What about my family? Surely they are not safe like I am here.

I pray that God protects them.

Teacher, do you think we will be able to resume our classes after this? Will everything be destroyed?

While this place gives us security, we still worry. Reviewing my notes and reading is hard. I cannot concentrate and when I start reading I start to feel sleepy even if it is very early in the morning.

I have yet to understand this situation.”