A delegation of 27 people from the Hempel Foundation led by Mrs. Rosa Robinson, Senior Manager, Education Partnerships at Hempel Foundation and representatives of SOS Children’s Villages Denmark visited SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda Kura Umenye remedial program implemented at GS Mwurile as well as three Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in Rwamagana district.
During the visit, the delegation met the Senior Management Team from SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda and the team from the SOS Children’s Village in Kayonza.
They discussed how both organizations could strengthen the current partnership to further support vulnerable children in schools and the community.
On behalf of the delegation, the Senior Manager of education Partnerships at the Hempel Foundation, Mrs. Rosa Robinson, appreciated SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda interventions especially those in childcare.
“Since no one can stop children’s joy, Hempel Foundation will keep doing all possible means to support children’s education and their well-being in general”, she explained. She expressed her gratitude on behalf of Hempel delegation for the warm reception by the students at GS Mwulire, the teachers and the student’s parents enrolled in the Village Saving Loans Associations in Mwulire Sector.
The National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda Mr. Jean Bosco Kwizera explained that partners like the Hempel Foundation are the ones that enable SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda to reach a big number of vulnerable children.
He mentioned that SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda currently supports 124,000 beneficiaries in 14 districts countrywide. He went on to underline that sponsor visits are well recognized as they are memories that will last for long. He extended his appreciation to the government of Rwanda which always backs the work done by SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda.
“Chances goes to the one who is prepared enough and chance sometimes comes once. The only person that will help you to achieve whatever you want is yourself by working hard in learning every day,” added Mr. Jean Bosco Kwizera.
The Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development in Rwamagana district Mr. Richards Rwamunono Kagabo thanked the Hempel Foundation and SOS Children’s Villages in Rwanda for contributing to the socio-economic development of the people in Rwamagana district. “The area of interventions you have chosen to support is very challenging. Thank you for supporting the quality of education in 15 schools of Rwamagana district”, said Richards, Kagabo Rwamunono.
“The remedial learning program is helping my daughter to improve significantly as she performs with better grades in class. Before joining this program, she was struggling to get 50% in her scores but now she got 83%,” described Ernestine Mutesi one of the parents whose child attends the Remedial Learning Program at GS Mwurile.”
According to Denyse, a 12-year-old girl at the Groupe Scolaire Mwurile, her performance has improved ever since she joined the Remedial Learning Program.
The Hempel Foundation is funding the remedial learning program of the Kura Umenye project which is a remedial learning after-school program to support the most vulnerable underperforming children in primary four, five and six in 120 public schools in eight districts in Rwanda. In the same project, children’s parents are enrolled in Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) for economic empowerment and self-reliance.