Ntenyo School Latest Update

July 9th, 2010 No Comments » // The Ruhango Project

New Fresh Volunteer Powers Arrive!!

After sad goodbyes with the volunteers from Group 1 returning home, the coordinators and the remaining volunteers could luckily welcome new, fresh forces from United States, Australia and Denmark. After their long travels, the six new volunteers were delighted to have reached Rwanda and excited to learn about the project experiences of the past two weeks.

While most of Saturday was spent helping the newcomers settle in, Sunday proposed cultural experiences and insights. One of these experiences was the visit to the local church where Sanejo Co-founder David has a special history. At the age of 13 a young David founded a children’s choir for the church, a choir that today still exists among the young children of the congregation. The pastor of the church was excited to have YGAP and Sanejo join David at the Sunday morning mass where the current children’s choir gave an amazing performance, demonstrating huge musical talent. To top of the experience David showed that he himself is still a bit of a songbird as he performed with original choir members who still attend the church. The
Sunday was ended with an orientation meeting for new volunteers and a bit of world cup football.

Mon 28 – Tues 29 June:
Start of week three was kicked of with the students and teachers of Ntenyo Primary School giving the new volunteers a warm and musical welcome! Volunteers and teachers were then paired to continue the success and development of the teachers English skills. The day included a lot of classroom observing from the new volunteers, as well as interaction with the children during recess. One of the observations made included the students’ great interest in the volunteers as well as the dedication towards also teaching the volunteers

Kinyarwanda, the language of Rwanda.
At the building site things were moving along successfully. Not only had the local contractors done an amazing job over the past weekend with the brick work, the team could also learn that thanks to such efforts the construction is moving along ahead of schedule.

Wed 30 June –Thurs 1 July:
In the absence of one of the teachers on Wednesday, some of the volunteers took charge spending a large part of the day teaching the children in P1 – the youngest class at the school. As the English skills of the children at this age are limited, it demanded creative thinking from the volunteers who took it upon them to teach the students the alphabet as well as different children’s songs.
On the building site local contractors and the team began the restoration of the grave site of David’s grandparents. Wednesday evening was spent with an orientation meeting back at the guesthouse where David and Elliot shared the vision of the project with all volunteers, a vision that in everyway inspired.

Thursday 1st of July was Rwanda’s National Independence Day which meant that the school was closed. However, at the building site the constructions continued. In addition to the construction of the two school buildings and the grave site the contractors also spent Thursday improving the very poor toilet facilities at the school.

Thursday afternoon was ended with a festive goodbye session, as Elliot had his last day at site as he is leaving Rwanda on Saturday. This meant that fruit and juice was served to all contractors who very gratefully accepted. Furthermore, the day ended with volunteers and contractors joining in a traditional Rwandan dance, to the amazement of all. You can view video clips of this at YGAP’s YouTube Channel, photos on Flickr and much more on our Facebook profile.

Week 2- Ntenyo School Project Update

July 9th, 2010 No Comments » // The Ruhango Project

After a delayed start to the day due to volunteer celebrations of the Portugal thrashing of Korea and the late night arrival of Elliot Costello to Kigali, the volunteers had to pull themselves together for Tuesday. A new dimension has been added to our school project through the introduction of sporting goods for the children.
YGAP/Sanejo volunteers supplied fresbies, soccer balls and AFL footballs donated from Geelong Football Club. The excitement of these sporting goods instantly reformed the student’s recess and lunch playtime.

Both Tues and Wed excelled at a tremendous rate: the classroom structure remains to fly up and our volunteers teaching method continues to improve the education levels of students at the Ntenyo Primary School. The heat remains a testing challenge for our volunteer labourers but spirits remain high as our relationship with the local labourers deepens.

Thursday marked the final day on site for our group 1 volunteers who return back to Australia and USA. Katherine, Clare, Meg and Pete have been part of our amazing dream-team here in Rwanda and unfortunately have to depart from Rwanda. As part of the school’s gratitude to their incredible service, a ceremony involving students dancing and singing was held. Tears came to most volunteer’s eyes watching such a powerful demonstration of gratitude. We take this opportunity to THANK all volunteers for such invaluable service during this project – we love you all and hope you travel back safe.

Thurs was concluded with a communal lunch between volunteers, teachers, local labourers and community members. When we say communal, we are talking about lunch for 55 people! Hard task to cater for but perfectly executed!!

Our volunteers are now looking forward to a weekend of rest and restoration!
For more photos, please head to our facebook fan page.

Week 1- Ntenyo School Project Update

June 23rd, 2010 1 Comment » // The Ruhango Project

After months of preparation, excitement and passion from afar, Sarah and David, the co-founders of Sanejo, landed in Rwanda to join forces with Laura, the Rwanda Coordinator from our partner organization Y-GAP. The week, spent organizing volunteer logistics and the commencement of the foundation for the construction of two new classrooms and latrines at the Ntenyo Primary School, could not have gone better. During the field trips from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, to the village, Ntenyo to access the needs for the upcoming project, the team was greeted with open arms and warmth from the school and the local community.


The first day for the team in the village involved meeting with the Headmaster of Ntenyo Primary School in rural Rwanda. While discussions commenced between David, the Headmaster, the local builders and those with vested interest in the school on where and how the classrooms should be built, Sarah and Laura spoke with some of the teachers. It was during these discussions that the team really started to grasp not only the gravity of the problems the community faces daily but was inspired by the resilience shown by the teachers who persist and are motivated to teach the future generations of Rwanda with the limited resources they have.

Nestled in Southern Rwanda, the Ntenyo community has been living with damaged and dilapidated infrastructure since the devastation of the genocide against Tutsis in 1994 and war of the 1990s. Sarah, Clint, Marten, Stephanie and David established Sanejo in order to empower tomorrow’s generation through promotion of education in Rwanda and the East Africa region. One of the goals of the organization is to fulfill David’s grandfather’s dream of reconstructing the primary school within his community.

Presently, 597 children are enrolled at the Ntenyo Primary School but there has been a significant decrease in actual attendance because the school’s facilities have severely deteriorated and are not up to government standard. For all of the 597 children at the school there are 9 teachers for 6 classrooms with nothing more than a few blackboards, limited benches and scant basic materials. This is clearly not an ideal learning environment. It significantly decreases the chances of children being able to continue their education into high school.


Before we had even arrived the Headmaster had organized that on Wednesday the community would come out for Umuganda (a monthly community service participated by all Rwandans). On Wednesday we too were to join Umuganda. Sarah and Laura were put straight to work joining the women in clearing the ground for a road while David jumped in with the men.

After the hard labor we were honored to be a part of the normal post-umuganda debrief where the local leaders chat with the community. Surprised that David, having achieved so much in life, would return to his grandfather’s home to rebuild what his grandfather set out to build – an unexpected occurrence in Rwanda – it was at this meeting that we gained and were blessed with the full support of the community. Not only did the community support our work but demonstrated willingness and a desire to work along side and together with the volunteers – stressing that the school is for their children and the future of their children’s children and therefore should have a hand in its growth.


Developing the English program was the next step on Friday. David, Sarah and Laura returned to the village to meet with the teachers, who requested – motivated and committed to learning English – that each volunteer to be partnered with a teacher to work along side for the 5 weeks to come.

The day ended with a trip to the local cement supplier. Filling the car with cement, the team walked their way back to the school as the sun set through the maze of Ntenyo village, greeting the locals and chatting to the older school children as the younger children, excited by the “mzungus” (white people), formed a trail behind.

While the week was jammed packed with long days and sleepless nights – the team could not have asked for a better beginning – foundation for the school commenced, we gained the communities full support, learned more about the larger story behind why this project has come to be and was overwhelmed by the number of people involved and committed in making this happen. It was an inspiring week in which we realized how much this project – which began over 30 years ago by one man’s dedicated to education – goes beyond us as a team with ideas and resources to incorporate a spiraling web of individuals motivated to educate and make change in Rwanda. The week ended with the realization and satisfaction of how much this project was something much more beyond ourselves.

With everything set in place the team could not wait for the entire Y-GAP volunteer team to arrive and get started in rebuilding the school, supporting the teachers in learning English and making life long lasting friendships with the community.

Ntenyo Primary School Funding

May 20th, 2010 No Comments » // The Ruhango Project

As many of you (hopefully) know, Sanejo is just about to start the
reconstruction of the Ntenyo Primary School in Rwanda. Our very first
project! With our partner organization, Y-GAP, we have managed to
accumulate sufficient funds to cover the budgeted costs for the
construction. But currently, we have little or no wiggle room to cover
unforeseen costs, which in our experience are not unlikely to arise.
Sanejo aspires to be “over prepared” and we humbly ask you to help us out.

How can you help? It does not take much. We encourage you to consider
donating the money equivalent of one or two of your daily coffees,
newspapers or beers to our project. It might not seem like a lot, but many
small donations can go a long way, which in this case will allow us in
Sanejo to prepare for the unexpected.

How do donate? You simply go to www.sanejo.org click on the donate button.
This will take you to a page where you can use your Visa or Master Card
and put money on our PayPal account.

For those who want to donate but can not use their cards on website,
please send an email to: marten.genfors@sanejo.org for advise on how to
send the money.

Sincerely

The Sanejo team

P.S. Sanejo doesn’t want to infringe upon your time, and therefore we have
tried to keep this message brief. But for more information go to
www.sanejo.org and read about why the Ntenyo Primary School was selected
as Sanejo’s first project!

Mwambari Honored By President and First Lady

January 17th, 2010 4 Comments » // The Ruhango Project

BY IRENE V. NAMBI
KIGALI – President Paul Kagame, Friday, challenged the youth to be major achievers, saying that there is a lot they can offer that other people in the country or continent are looking up to in order to attain their own aspirations.
Kagame made these remarks at the award-giving ceremony dubbed “Celebrating Young Rwandan Achievers,” (CYRWA), an initiative of the Imbuto Foundation.

Sanejo Co-founder Gives Keynote Speech at Y-GAP Asante Sana Ball

October 27th, 2009 4 Comments » // The Ruhango Project

Sanejo co-founder, David Mwambari, was granted the privilege of being the keynote speaker this week at the First Annual Asante Sana Charity Ball hosted by Y-GAP in Melbourne, Australia. Mwambari’s speech on October 24th, focused on the importance of international partnerships between young people in bridging the opportunity gap created by poverty. Using the Y-GAP/SANEJO partnership as an example, Mwambari highlighted how international partnerships help garner greater awareness and support for the work of these organizations.

Speaking with entrepreneurs, university students and community members, Mwambari highlighted Sanejo’s mission, using his personal story to illustrate the opportunities that education can provide. Mwambari, explained that Sanejo was founded as a vehicle to invest in tomorrow’s generation, specifically in partnering with those communities that have recently experienced war or exist in a state of extreme poverty. The funds from the Asante Sana Charity Ball will support the Ntenyo School Project in Rwanda. Sanejo and Y-GAP volunteers will travel together to Rwanda next summer to participate in the reconstruction and expansion of the school.

David Visits Ntenyo Primary School, Sight of Ruhango Project!

July 21st, 2009 1 Comment » // The Ruhango Project

Sanejo, “building tomorrow’s generation”, was launched in Rwanda on June 21st in the community where the first project will be based. In launching the non-profit organization, Sanejo founder and executive board member David Mwambari, expressed the interest of him and his friends in joining the wonderful work of rebuilding the Ntenyo Primary School that will rehabilitate the school structure in order to provide more space and better learning conditions for the students. The community leaders expressed their appreciation for this partnership and welcomed Sanejo’s members and partners to the community. On the same day, Sanejo’s friends, a group of architectures from the United States, joined with the children to take measurements of the land size where the school is, to be used to draw up a plan to assist in starting the rebuilding project.

In the following weeks, Sanejo’s founder met teachers, students and local leaders on various occasions to seek more advice on how to successfully proceed with the project. David also spoke to many local builders, local laborers, toured(tourist?) shops, stores and local brick-making plants in order to ensure that the project would be created with 100% local material. David also spent time at a similar school that was rebuilt recently to learn from the challenges and successes associated with such projects that Sanejo will embark on.

Syracuse University graduate student uses education to rebuild African communities

May 26th, 2009 No Comments » // The Ruhango Project

David Mwambari

David Mwambari shares his hope for the future by launching nonprofit organization dedicated to youth in East Africa

Fifteen years ago, David Mwambari was a normal 13 year old, anticipating his weeklong Easter break from school in his hometown, Butare, Rwanda. War had come to the northern parts of his country; but even as refugees poured into Butare, the residents held steadfast to their belief that their town would continue to be a sanctuary, a place where Tutsis and Hutu lived and worked together in peace.

That belief shattered as Hutu youth death squads, aided by the government, invaded the town in April 1994 and systematically tortured, raped, and murdered unarmed men, women, and children. Over the course of a few days, scores were left dead or wounded, homes were destroyed, and families torn apart, as Mwambari, his parents, and three sisters fled for their lives.

Despite the hardships he and his family encountered, Mwambari, a graduate student in Syracuse University’s Pan African Studies Program, College of Arts and Sciences, never lost hope. As the United Nations commemorates the 15th anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide on April 7, Mwambari and his international partner—Y-generation Against Poverty—will publically launch “Sanejo: Building Tomorrow’s Generation.” Information about the U.N. commemoration is available on the Web at http://www.un.org/preventgenocide/rwanda/.

More than three years in the making, Sanejo is a nonprofit, grassroots organization that aims to rebuild African communities through promoting education and cultural exchanges. The organization, to be based Kigali, will be formally dedicated in May 2009 when Mwambari returns to Rwanda for the summer break. Sanejo’s partner organization, Y-GAP (www.y-gap.org), is an Australian-based, youth-run charity that works with schools, universities, and nonprofit and corporate partners to engage youth in international development projects that improve the lives of others.

School in Ruhango, Rwanda, that will be the site of one of the first Sanejo projects.

“As I worked my way through high school and college, I prayed everyday that when I am in a position where I am no longer paying for my education, I will do something to help other youth access education so they too can learn to see beyond the horror they have experienced and have hope for the future,” Mwambari says.

Sanejo founders plan to begin by focusing on five community projects—one project for each of the years Mwambari has been pursuing his university education. The first project is to work with the community of Ruhango to refurbish the school Mwambari’s grandfather envisioned before he was murdered during the genocide, along with many of Mwambari’s extended family members.

“My grandfather tried to do something for the community.” Mwambari says. “They cut him short. I want to complete his dream. Sanejo’s first project is dedicated to his memory.”

Mwambari is no stranger to grassroots organization and the sweat equity needed to succeed. After his immediate family escaped the slaughter, they settled in Nairobi, Kenya, where his father completed master’s degrees in theology and psychological counseling, and his mother worked as a registered nurse.

Mwambari worked part time to help pay for high school and continued working his way through Runder College in Nairobi, earning a diploma in business administration in 2003. One of his jobs was as a cultural tour guide in East and Central African countries. When he could no longer balance classes and lead the trips, he started his own business in which he organized, instead of leading, the tours.

Mwambari’s dream was to be accepted into the United States International University (USIU) in Nairobi, but he first had to learn English, which he now speaks fluently along with French and African languages, including his mother tongue, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili, spoken in East Africa. After finally being accepted at USIU, he earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and psychology in 2007 and a master’s degree in international relations in 2008. He came to SU last fall.

The world seemed to open up for Mwambari after he entered USIU. He became active in the Rwandan Youth Diaspora in Kenya, serving as vice chair for two years. He joined the Board of “Not for Sale Campaign International” as the East Africa director. Not for Sale is a nonprofit organization that educates and mobilizes opposition to global trafficking of human beings. He earned a scholarship to spend a semester at Shorter College in Rome, Georgia, as part of the USIU exchange program, followed by a scholarship to attend the Institute for International Mediation and Conflict Resolution in Cape Town, South Africa.

“I have been fortunate to have met some extremely good people who have mentored me and who didn’t give up on me, including my family and friends,” Mwambari says.

Mwambari’s extensive travel in Africa and abroad has enabled him to connect to people and organizations from all over the world. He is frequently invited to speak about the African youth Diaspora, rehabilitating child soldiers, and post-genocide youth in communities, high schools and universities, and at major, international conferences. His speaking engagements include the 17th annual Africa Diaspora Conference at the University of Sacramento, the Sweet Mother Tour Conference at Harvard University, and the World Youth Alliance International Conference in Nairobi.

Mwambari has represented Rwandan youth in Diaspora at the Annual National Dialogue at the Rwandan Parliament in Kigali, and he has organized monthly reconciliation events. He spends his SU semester breaks doing volunteer work in East Africa.

“Education opened my eyes,” Mwambari says. “It gives you tools to learn to think for yourself so you can resist things from which you cannot benefit—conflict and war. Education gave me language, context, presentation—everything. It has empowered me to share my hope with others and Sanejo will be the vehicle. There is hope even in the most hopeless situations.”

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