Author: RAS

September 24, 2024 | by Lynette Rambo

“Muraho.” A simple “Hello” in Kinyarwanda was all it took to become endeared to the lovely people of Rwanda when we were there in June. We have been back in the US for two months, but my heart is still in this land of a thousand hills. My husband, Larry, and I had the privilege of celebrating my 60^th birthday in Rwanda this year.  We saw gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, went on a safari, visited the Genocide Memorial (one of the most sobering experiences), attended Liberation Day at the capital stadium with 45,000 Rwandan’s, and more.  For me, the most meaningful days were the two spent with the children at Rising Above the Storms (RAS).

I work for Cisco Systems. Cisco gives employees 80 hours per year of paid volunteer time, and I wanted to find a way to volunteer in Rwanda.  When a colleague learned I was going to Rwanda she introduced me to RAS’ founder Alphonsine Anderson, who also works at Cisco.  During our initial conversation, I asked Alphonsine what the children needed and wanted. She said they had been asking for a piano for years. That became my 60^th birthday goal – to raise enough funds to buy them a piano and throw them a party!  My original goal was to raise $2,400.  However, peoples’ generosity was so overwhelming that we raised more than $7,000 from Cisco colleagues, friends and family!

On July 2^nd, I met the four children we sponsor as well as the kids living at the center. The staff and I handed out clothing and shoes we brought from the US in our luggage. The children also shared their stories. I am so inspired by these kids and their resilience. Many have come from very tough situations. Some are orphans or have been abandoned. All are in the RAS program because of extreme poverty. If it were not for RAS, a lot of them would be on the streets.

On July 3^rd, Larry and I spent the day with the staff and around sixty kids at the center. They threw me an unforgettable birthday party with lunch, handmade cards, a cake, songs and dances they had prepared, speeches, and gifts. We broke into six teams and had a LEGO building challenge and read a story in both English and Kinyarwanda. During the party, we also presented the piano and the part-time piano teacher RAS was able to hire because of the generous donations.

We also announced the purchase of a laptop for one of the young men we sponsor to help him as he prepares for graduation and university. He is the sole provider for his three younger siblings. They are orphans who live with their grandmother. He was so happy that he started playing a song on the piano and singing. Nobody knew he could play!

Our experience in Rwanda has been a gift that will keep giving. What has struck me most about meeting the children at RAS is this:

• How friendly, loving and hopeful they are. I got to hug a lot of Rwandan children (and adults)!
• The hunger they have for learning and the value they place on education
• They are also often hungry for food and do not know where they will get their next meal
• The impact the genocide is having on Rwandan society 30 years later. Recent epigenetics studies are showing that the trauma faced by genocide survivors has caused modifications to DNA that has led to increased risk of PTSD and depression in the children one and two generations later.
• The extreme poverty so many Rwandans live with. Even if they have enough to eat, malnutrition may still be a factor because of the lack of variety of available food.
• Appreciation for the simple things we take for granted in the US
• How far $1 US goes (1340 Rwandan Francs)

Rwanda and Rising Above the Storms has impacted me so significantly that my life and heart are changed forever. The work that RAS does in Kigali should be done in every community throughout the world so that no child gets left behind.

As I think back on our travels, I am reminded of the beauty of this country and its volcanoes, jungles, and sparkling lakes. Even the smallest pebble dropped in water creates a ripple. Being the catalyst for positive change in one child’s life also creates a ripple. When given an opportunity, that child can be the catalyst for positive change in the world one person, one family, one community, one country at a time. I want to be the pebble that causes the ripple. Imagine how big the impact when we all drop our pebbles into the water together. 

Ndagukunda (I love you in Kinyarwanda).

If you would like to sponsor a child like Lynette click here.

September 9, 2024 | by Alphonsine Anderson

Divine is a remarkable 14-year-old student who was recently accepted into our scholarship program in Rwanda, designed for bright students facing financial hardship. This Spring she was preparing for her 9th-grade national exam, which would determine her eligibility to move on to 10th grade. Divine’s academic track record was consistently strong. However, we were shocked to learn that she failed. Initially, we considered placing her on probation. We have a long list of children waiting to get into our program, so we prioritize those who maintain higher grades. But something didn’t add up. After further investigation we discovered she was going through a lot of turmoil during the exam period.

Divine has been raised by her aunt, which isn’t uncommon for children in our programs. She never knew her parents. Her mother tried to end Divine’s life when she was just a baby by throwing her into a toilet. By some miracle, she survived. Her mother disappeared and Divine never saw her again. Her father also abandoned her and moved to another country. Then he resurfaced during the week of the national exams, critically sick and in a coma. She met him for the first time but couldn’t exchange a word with him. A few days later he passed away.

Adding to Divine’s immense emotional burden is the tragic legacy of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, a horror that Rwandans, including myself, know all too well. But for Divine, her family’s story is especially complicated.  Her mother’s family were perpetrators during the genocide, responsible for the deaths of people in her father’s family. This deeply painful and tangled history, combined with meeting her father on his deathbed, must have stirred unimaginable emotions as she sat for her national exams.  When I heard Divine’s story, I was deeply saddened by her ordeal. 

Her academic situation reminded me of a moment in my own life, during graduate school in Rochester, NY, when my younger sister was gravely ill, thousands of miles away. The stress caused me to get a B in a course when I normally received straight A’s. It made me reflect on how personal turmoil can weigh down even the brightest of students. If that was my experience, I can’t begin to fathom what Divine was going through at the time of her exams at 14 years old.

Divine’s story is one of many at Rising Above the Storms. Our students are resilient, but they carry burdens no child should have to bear. We may not have the power to erase their pain, but through education and emotional support, we aim to be a source of hope and light in their lives. I invite you to be part of this mission. Your support can make a real difference for students like Divine, offering them not just an education but the chance to rise above the storms in their lives. Together, we can help them find strength, healing, and the possibility of a brighter future.

Please consider sponsoring a child like Divine to support his or her educational costs and basic needs by clicking here.

The original kids in the street child program during my first visit in 2018

May 9, 2024 | by Matt Anderson

By nature, I wasn’t born an empathetic person.  It takes effort to put myself in the shoes of other people.  I wasn’t as bad as Sheldon Cooper on the Big Bang Theory, for those who know the sitcom.  But sometimes loved ones had to point out to me when I was being insensitive.  And while I grew up knowing the virtue of generosity, I never really understood that it could be personally rewarding.  Then I met Alphonsine and learned about her story and I started to change.  It didn’t take long after we started dating for me realize that I found a keeper. 

One time we had a conversation while we were dating about supporting family.  I held the opinion that you teach a man to fish rather than give him a fish as the saying goes.  She told me a story about how helpless she felt after being orphaned during the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.  Her dad appeared to her in a dream in a white robe and smiling.  She promised him that she would take care of his 3 surviving kids like he would.  When she awoke, she felt reassured and at peace.  She was only 13 years old at the time.  It started to sink in that some people are helpless or come from an extreme disadvantage. 

Alphonsine’s 2 sisters in the middle and brother on the right

My first trip to Rwanda was in November 2018.  This was the first time I met her younger siblings who were already adults.  They were throwing an engagement party for us.  They were all close and laughed a lot, not what I imagined after hearing the heart wrenching story she told me about how they barely survived the genocide as children and endured mistreatment from their foster family afterwards.  Alphonsine calls them her kids and they respect her like a mother, even though they are close friends.  With her help (and the hand of their Maker) they had finished their degrees and started careers and businesses.

When I visited Alphonsine’s charity for the first time, they were still in the original building.  There were 15-20 younger children playing and laughing like they didn’t have a care in the world.  I couldn’t communicate with most of them, but some spoke broken English.  As soon as I started kicking a soccer ball around with them, they lit up and let me join their group.  When the staff assembled them inside and Alphonsine gave them a pep talk, I could see they respected her.  She inspired them that they could be like her and make it in this world, even though they come from extreme poverty. 

Many of these kids had single mothers who resorted to prostitution to put food on the table.  Their living conditions at home are squalor.  They dropped out of school, ran away from home, and lived on the streets, begging and stealing for food.  Some took drugs.  Many of these kids weren’t even teenagers which is so sad.  Alphonsine told me there was a period during her youth when she was hungry, didn’t have a bed to sleep on and was encouraged to prostitute herself (which she didn’t) to support her siblings and pay for school.  She said this is why she started RAS, so she could give these kids hope.  Saddened by the plight of these kids, I started to realize that I have some empathy.

View of Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda

Now I don’t want readers to get the wrong impression of Rwanda.  It’s a beautiful country, its green and mountainous, everything was clean and orderly, and I felt safe.  I stood out like a sore thumb and got some odd looks when I said hi to strangers on the streets (something common in the Midwest where I grew up).  I learned that the government requires citizens to clean their neighborhoods once a month.  Our HOA should hire them to manage our community 😉  It’s also amazing to seen how they’ve rebuilt Rwanda into a nation that’s setting an example for other African nations (so I’m told by Africans from other nations) after the devastation only 30 years ago. 

Fast forward 5 years.  Now it’s my 5^th time to Rwanda.  As usual I really look forward to the trip, seeing her family and soaking in the beauty of Rwanda.  Now RAS is in a bigger facility which it’s quickly outgrowing with over 60 kids in the street child program.  The original kids I met 5 years ago are older, but I can still recognize their boyish faces in growing bodies.  One of them named Idrissa who went through RAS’s program came back to visit.  He graduated high school and received a scholarship to attend engineering school at a local university.  He’s become a role model.  It’s great to see kids like Idrissa follow in Alphonsine’s footsteps.

Idrissa chatting with Alphonsine

This time I also got to meet 30 kids who joined our new child scholarship program in 2022.  That brings are total kids served to about 100 and growing.  These kids weren’t rescued from the streets.  They are doing well at school and come from caring families.  However, their families are very poor and can’t afford their education expenses.  Schools withhold report cards for children who can’t pay tuition, so they can’t advance with their peers.  It’s unfortunate because they’re scoring at the top of their class.  These kids were exceptionally articulate and ambitious about their futures.  They especially admire Alphonsine as role model because they share a passion for education and that she’s successful. 

After encountering these kids and the stories of people like my wife who went through hardship, I’ve been developing more compassion and challenging the way I think.  For example, when the topic of immigration came up in the past, I defended the law without regard to the situations from which immigrants might be coming.  Now knowing that my wife was a helpless refugee during the genocide helps me reframe the issue with more mercy.  Furthermore, I still believe you should teach a man to fish.  However, now I realize he still needs to eat in the meantime while he’s learning.  Generosity is personally rewarding when you see the impact, and I believe a legacy worth leaving behind.

I came to the US almost nine years ago with a working permit, my family and tons of dreams and excitement of a new cool job and new adventures ahead. Six months later I was rocked by the news of an impending layoff, leaving me with just three months to find new employment before my work permit expired. I was facing challenges that I never experienced before, I was totally unsure on how everything was going to work out. The clock was “ticking”.

At the end, things worked out. I secured a job and a new visa, and I was embarking again into new adventures.  One day I learned about this non-profit, “Rising Above the Storms” dedicated to helping children live their happiest lives. It was founded by Alphonsine Anderson, and it struck me how someone can go through life changing situations and then find a passion in helping kids to be happy. To be kids.

This organization reminded me of the joy I saw in my son’s everyday life while going to school, playing soccer and just being a kid. That also made me reflect on some of the things I learned while the clock was “ticking”. Things that I wanted my son to learn since they will help him through life.

• You have to overcome challenges in life and enjoy the ride.
• Small actions can significantly impact the world.
• The world is filled with good people ready to extend their help.

I realized I wanted to contribute to a cause for children lacking the opportunities my son has and, probably, without someone guiding them through their lives. I decided to become a sponsor with “Rising Above the Storms” aiming to give back a portion of the good in my life. Remember, “small actions can significantly impact the world”.

After being a sponsor for more than 5 years, I’ve seen how “Rising Above the Storms” has grown and positively impacted so many kids in getting scholarships, counseling, and even soccer shoes to play football. Getting hope.

A couple of months ago, I received an invitation from Alphonsine to join her mission more closely. What a big honor! Now, I will be leading the marketing efforts for this incredible non-profit, and I’m excited to make a difference along with an amazing group of people. Remember, “the world is filled with good people ready to extend their help”.

As I embark on this new role, I invite you to reflect on your life’s challenging moments, how you overcome them and consider how you can bring hope to others so they can also enjoy the ride of their lives. If you want to learn more, you can comment on this blog or reach out to me directly. I’d love to share how even the smallest act can ripple through the world with immense force.

A simple donation means a lot. Please donate.

Sergio Licea, RAS Marketing Director

Last month we introduced our soccer club program and some of our older children who are going to the pros. This month we are excited to highlight our scholarship program.

Education is one of the most important tenets we teach our children at Rising Above the Storms; however not all of our street children excel in school or have college aspirations.   At the same time, there are many vulnerable children who are bright but come from families that can’t afford their education.  This particular group of children is college bound!

The staff recruited the first 30 students for our first cohort last Fall, representing a range of grades from primary to secondary schools (Grade 1 – 12).  We fund their tuition, uniforms, materials, and other school-related expenses.  Interest in the program has been incredible, and we already have a long waitlist for the next cohort.

This past July, 5 children in our scholarship program (all girls) took standardized tests this year to advance to the next grade. Rwanda tests children in grades 6, 9 & 12.  3 received perfect scores and 2 earned 83 percentile. We are very proud of them. Your donation makes it possible for children like these to continue pursuing their education.  You go girls!

The scholarship program was partially inspired by Idrissa Dusengimana, the first street child to graduate high school in 2020 – and in the top of his class. He also received a scholarship to engineering school.  You can read his story here.  Idrissa wouldn’t have had this opportunity if not for our generous donors who help us make this happen.

The Future

Our current website is undergoing changes that will soon allow donors to directly sponsor students from our site.  You’ll be able to sponsor a child in primary school for $38 a month or secondary school for $55 a month.  Stay tuned for updates!  In the meantime, you can sponsor a child now on our website. Simply enter the amount ($38 or $55), and select recurring for a monthly donation. Our team will reach out to you with details about the students in our program from which you can select to sponsor.

We’re also investing in our students’ futures in college and beyond through financial aid and by approaching businesses about mentorship and internship opportunities. We look forward to sharing more as this program expands and more are added.

We are excited to announce that one of our two soccer teams earned a spot to play in the Rwanda Football Federation League, the national soccer league. The team will play in the league’s newly established third division, which showcases the skills of lesser known yet promising teams. The League boasts three divisions with the Rwandan national team drawing its players from the top clubs in division 1.

Our Rwanda Learning Center currently has two soccer teams: one formed with children under 17 (U17) where most of our kids fall into, and a second team with children 17 and above (U23 or Under 23). The age requirement to join the National League is 17; this means that the U23 team has had to recruit additional players outside the program to fill the team, until our U17 children can reach 17. We currently have 4 children from our Street Children Program in the U23; the rest of the players come from broken homes, and were often spotted at the court as spectators of our matches.

The U23 team named after our local partner, Amahoro Builders Football Club, qualified to apply for the third division after the league took notice of its winning streaks in local friendly matches. However, the league put the team through a rigorous acceptance process that required our local partner to rent an acceptable field for home games, among other requisites. The team was accepted into the league in May 2023 and commenced its first game on June 24th.

RAS provides funds for jerseys, shoes, socks, and equipment for both teams, as well as a coach who also doubles as a counselor at the Center. One of RAS’ future fundraising goals is to purchase a new facility with land that can be converted into a soccer field.

In other soccer news, three other children from the Center are also on their way to the same national soccer league as professional referees. They’ve been part of a training program hosted by the league to recruit young referees as it expands. The trainees have been training alongside Federation referees at local youth matches and will be eligible to officiate division 3 matches when they graduate later this year.

“One of the things RAS encourages is for our children to think about what careers they want to pursue in the future, and we help set them up for success,” stated Alphonsine Anderson. When our Rwanda staff learned about the referee program, they shared it with our kids and enrolled those who were interested, paying all their fees. Once they graduate, they’ll have an opportunity to earn money doing something they love.

Rwanda has not been a stranger to the world of soccer. Those who watched the World Cup last year might recall the presence of a Rwandan woman named Salima Mukansanga among the referees.  Alphonsine expressed hope for the future of these aspiring referees, saying, “We hope these kids reach their dreams, maybe even joining the ranks of FIFA referees like Mukansanga someday.”

We find inspiration in the unwavering resilience of our children, who are actively shaping their own future. Soccer has become a powerful catalyst for our children, instilling in them confidence, hope, and the bravery to pursue their dreams. It fills our hearts with joy to watch them shine not only at the court but also in every aspect of their lives!

Will you join us as we continue to empower vulnerable children?