By Matt Anderson

This month we want to highlight an interview with Alizee N., a mentor to our students.  She understands what it’s like to be in their shoes, parents unable to afford education and basic needs, and pressure to compromise values to make ends meet.  Like Alphonsine, she overcame poverty by focusing on education and discipline, rising to one of the youngest female banking leaders in Rwanda.

She spoke to the children at a recent retreat to encourage them and listened to their testimonies about how RAS is impacting their lives.  When asked about the impact, she said…

“There are no words to describe what you’re doing in the life of these children. I’ve seen their background—full of poverty and despair. And now they’re dreaming of being bankers, lawyers, doctors… They feel like they hold the future. They can do anything, just because of you.”

She heard Honorine’s story about how she rose to earn one of the top grades in Rwanda’s equivalent to the SAT test, and earned a scholarship to university. Read Honorine’s story.

“I was listening to a young lady who always had a dream of being number one in the country, but she couldn’t make it. But ever since you entered her life, everything… Now she has realized her dreams and you’re doing it for everyone in the room.”

Alizee tells donors that kids need more than tuition.  They need basic needs parents can’t afford like meals and clothes.  They need counseling and encouragement to care for their mental health since many are going through difficult situations at home. 

Join us in supporting the basic needs and emotional support these students need to be successful in their education.  Donate 👉🏾 here! $25 a month supports the needs of one student.