In 2019 Cisco recognized Alphonsine and Rising Above the Storms in its global giving back campaign.  Watch the story Cisco produced and advertised worldwide.  The campaign generated a lot of awareness for RAS, drawing many donors & volunteers among employees and business partners.

In 2016, Cisco approved RAS for its corporate matching program.  The company matches $1 for every $1 given by employees to RAS and other charitable organizations.  Cisco employees & business partners have been the among the largest contributors to RAS as a group to date.

In addition to giving financially, a number of Cisco employees & executives have volunteered their time to serve on RAS’ board or its fundraising and marketing teams.  Cisco gives employees up to 80 hours of volunteer time to give back and donates $10 to RAS for each hour of volunteer work.

RAS operates in Rwanda under Amahoro Builders, a local NGO which oversees operations at RAS’ direction.  RAS partnered with Amahoro Builders in 2017 to establish the Learning Center and launch its initial program for rehabilitating street children.

Amahoro Builders is an established NGO based in Rwanda which supports vulnerable families, particularly single mothers who live in poverty.  Many of the women are mothers to children in our program which makes the NGO a natural partner.

RAS focuses on fundraising and setting direction for its programs from its US-based operations, while Amahoro Builders executes on the ground in Rwanda.  This includes managing a budget, overseeing staff, recruiting children and reporting back monthly.

This model has been successful to date and its impact on the community has been recognized by local officials.  Amahoro Builders’ understanding of the local culture, regulations and the evolving needs of our children and their families are critical to shaping the future of RAS’ programs.

Westcon-Comstor is a $3 billion global technology distributor which partnered with RAS in 2021 to support its programs for vulnerable youth.  The company’s African division has given about $30,000 to date and visits our children, their families and our center in Kigali, Rwanda annually.

In 2023 Westcon-Comstor expanded its partnership with RAS and its local partner to help single women who live in poverty start businesses to support their families. Since many of these women are mothers of our children, this will help improve our children’s’ lives at home.

Trans-Expedite, a worldwide transportation and logistics company, has pledged to cover the shipping expenses for donated goods to Rwanda. Since 2021, the company has delivered approximately $12,000 worth of clothing, shoes, sports equipment, and other items to the Learning Center for RAS.