Wednesday, 10 January 2018

An Overview Of The Successful Rwanda Education Assistance Project

By Virginia Jackson


Education and charity often go hand in hand. When it comes to the Rwanda Education Assistance Project also known as REAP, nothing could be more true. For, the project works with Rwandan children to provide an education that is accessible to all in Rwanda. As a result, the group assist children of all economic, racial and social backgrounds with educations towards a number of different careers.

The mission and vision of the group at the time included creating a vibrant future while enriching the environment of local and rural communities. Through these efforts, the group has been able to educate and prepare children to become responsible adults and productive citizens. As a result, many of these children go on to become active in education, politics and religion.

Children participate in a number of activities and events as part of the overall program. Whereas, children learn in an environment which encourages the development of active problem solvers, compassionate leaders and critical thinkers. After which, many of these children become active in different areas of the local and surrounding community.

A father and daughter volunteer team are to thank for the establishment of REAP. For, Edward and daughter Rachel Ballen traveled to Rwanda to volunteer with a local orphanage. During the visit, the two discovered how much love the Rwandan children had for learning. After which, the two became involved with the orphanage, local public school and food distribution center to implement REAP.

The main commitment at the time the work started was to harvest the skills each child learned and highlight those skills to the local community. In that time, there was a great deal going politically in the area. As such, volunteers had to overcome a number of challenges and obstacles while working in the area. For, not long before the organization began work, the area had suffered from a long period of ethnic cleansing and genocide.

As the children of the orphanage attend the local public school, the school was selected as a base for the organization to begin the project. In the process, REAP discovered that by focusing on one large but complex school and the surrounding community, it would be easier for the children to demonstrate skills which had been learned as part of the program. As the children are from a local orphanage, the organization also believed demonstrations of this nature would show that even the poorest and most vulnerable youth could benefit from the project.

Studies and reports in 2016 and 2017 shows that REAP is still alive and well. In fact, there have been many developments since those early days of the project. For example, there are now a number of student clubs, student led learning programs, a school feeding program and girls empowerment club. In addition, there are now scholarships available to students, computer training and collaborative partnerships. Whereas, work to enhance the library and provide teacher accommodations was recently completed.

The proof is somewhat sufficient that REAP has been a beneficial program in Rwanda and the surrounding area. While this is the case, without the support of donors, volunteers and project leaders, this would have never been the case. It is hoped that there will now be new project leaders, volunteers and financial donors so that the work can continue now and well into the future.




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